effingereimagus
by mathmans
Summary: A retelling the Harry Potter series. Harry has one magical ability that is used correctly he will become the most accomplished wizard of all. Harry/Tonks AU
1. Book 1: Chapter 1

** Disclaimer: **This is fan fiction people. We own none of this stuff.

** A/N: **I am looking for a beta to do a little proof-reading for me. Any volunteers, just leave your name in the comments and I will get back to you.

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_**Chapter 1**_

Our story starts late on a dark night in a normal suburban home. Well the Dursleys, a family of three, wanted to believe it was normal. However, it was far from normal, because of the one additional occupant, a boy of 11.

This boy goes by the name of Harry Potter. What makes this boy so odd is that he is a wizard, who even for a wizard is odd.

Until recently, he never new he was a wizard. Thanks to Hagrid, he now knows he is a wizard and is going to be going to a school to learn this craft.

Harry sat at the rickety desk in the room reading over his new textbooks. He decided that he wanted to try an experiment with his newfound abilities so he picks up his wand and flicks it at his bed getting ready to say the spell from the book concentrating on changing it just like the book said he could. The bed began to glow and change. When the glowing suddenly stopped his old run down twin bed was gone and was replaced by an elegant queen sized bed.

Harry excitedly sat in his chair and reflected on what he learned from this experiment. 'I didn't use a spell from the book, but it worked the way I wanted it to. What does this mean…? It must mean that the words and wand movements aren't the only way to do magic.'

Harry looked over at his new bed. It was pushed up against the wall and pushed against the side of the desk. 'The bedroom doesn't have enough space to have such a large bed in it,' he thought to himself. Just as he was about to raise his wand to make a smaller bed an idea struck him, 'Diagon Alley! How do they get such a large place in such a small alley in central London? Space must not mean the same thing to wizards as it does to muggles. I wonder if I can make my room larger then.'

With a flick of his wand, the room expanded to three times its original size. "Yes!" With a room, this size and a little magic Harry could fix it up to just the way he liked it.

Harry proceeded to go around the room and changed his desk, his wardrobe and many of the other things in his room to the way he wanted them. After he got his room situated the way he wanted he laid down upon his bed welcoming sleep, however just like when he lived in his cupboard the haunting shadows reach for him and he was surrounded by the familiar darkness.

Realizing that this may be some type of magic, since shadows do not move on their own he set aside his fear and let himself explore the darkness surrounding him. Harry got off the bed and walked around the room. He pulled open his new wardrobe, gazed into the mirror, and suffered a shock.

He wasn't there. All there was in the mirror was dark shadows. Determined to discover what had happened to him. He paced the room thinking to himself not noticing that he was gliding over the bed and other things spaced around the room. Finial, he focused on his movements and realized that he was moving as a dark cloud not really touching anything and moving wherever he pleased. He tried to move up the wall and discover that he could indeed move anywhere a shadow was cast.

Harry zoomed around the room having fun flying over and under everything, he could. As he returned to the floor, he started to panic. How was he to turn this new development off? He couldn't be a shadow for the rest of his life, how was he to go to Hogwarts and learn magic. As panic was getting a firm hold on his mind, he looked down at his feet and noticed they were back on the floor. Quickly he returned to the wardrobe to discover he was there again. As he stared at his reflection and concentrated on the feeling of being a shadow. He watched himself fade into the darkness and when he willed himself to be normal again. He faded back. 'So I can just go from one form to the other on a whim, Excellent!' he thought to himself. 'Just one last thing to try.'

He walked over to the light switch, turned on his overhead light, and then concentrated on being a shadow. He suddenly found himself on the floor in pain. 'So I can only move in the darkness otherwise, PAIN. Good to know.'

Mentally exhausted he turned off the lights and crawled into bed determined to study more of his magic over the next four weeks before school started.

Over the following days, he would read his texted books during the day trying out spells and the like, and at night, he would play in the shadows.

He quickly discovered that he could do all the spells in his transfiguration, charms, and defence against the dark arts books. Not wanting to waste his limited potion ingredients, he did not try to brew anything but memorized the many potions and concoctions, studying closely the things he wanted to try when he got to Hogwarts and had more supplies. Frustrated with having learned all he could from his books was determent to find more to learn and read. If only he could get back to Diagon Alley and Flourish and Blotts to buy more books.

The answer was discovered late that night while playing with the shadows. He was in his room moving around aimlessly as a shadow trying to think of a way to get to Diagon Alley when his stomach started to growl. The Dursleys never fed him well but he could sneak out at night and raid the cupboards and refrigerator for food as long as he did not take to much food. He had discovered earlier in the week that he could not conjure food so he had to make a food run. Thinking hard about using his powers to creep under the door and down to the kitchen to knick some food he suddenly found himself in the kitchen looking at the cupboards. With a devilish grin, he returned to normal grabbed a bit of food, turned back to a shadow, and concentrated on returning to his room. After eating his snacks, he played with his new form of travel. He realized that all he needed to do was focus on where he wanted to be while he was a shadow and he would instantly be there in the nearest shadow. He popped back and forth from the neighbourhood park a few times when he realized that he could use this to travel to Diagon Alley. He looked at his clock and realized that it was a little past midnight and the shops would not open until 9 o'clock, so he set his alarm for 5 o'clock and lay down for a bit of rest. When his alarm woke him a few hours later, he changed to a shadow and concentrated on the outside of the Leaky Cauldron.

When he arrived, he quickly returned to normal and entered the pub. Tom the bar man was behind the bar cleaning glasses. Giving Tom a nod of the head and receiving a toothless grin in response, he exited the back of the bar and proceeded to enter Diagon Alley. Harry quickly walked up the street trying to avoid the few late night patrons hanging around in the alley. When he reached Gringotts, he noted that they were open so he decided to make a quick stop to his vault. When he entered noting that only one teller was open and had a bit of a line. However, he saw a group of goblins in a heated discussion, one of the goblins he recognized as Griphook who had assisted Hagrid and him to his vault on his birthday. Harry quickly walked over to the goblins and said, "Hi, Griphook how are you this morning."

The Goblins looked up to see who was talking to them, a few of the patrons in the queue also turned to see the boy talking with the goblins. "Sir?" Griphook said cautiously.

"Do you not remember me, Griphook? I am Harry Potter you showed me to my trust vault about a weeks ago, I came with Hagrid."

"Yes sir I remember you what can I do for you Sir?" the goblin said formally with an odd expression on his face.

"Well for starters you can call me Harry instead of Sir, and I was wondering if there was a way to skip over the queue and get into my vault."

"Yes Sir, do you have your key?"

"I do Griphook, and please call me Harry."

"Well then, Harry, if you would follow me." Griphook led Harry through a door, boarded a cart, and set off down the track at hi speeds. The breakneck turns were as enjoyable this time as they were the last. When Harry and Griphook exited the cart, Harry had a broad grin on his face.

"Does that every get old, riding the carts like that?" he asked rhetorically.

The goblin laughed, "No, to those who truly enjoy the ride, it never gets old. Some times late at night or in the early hours you can hear Gringott himself riding around laughing. Here is your vault Sir, if I could have your key please."

Harry handed over his key and Griphook examined it for a moment then walked up to the door and opened it for Harry. "I have a question for you Griphook. How much gold would I need if I were to buy all of my Hogwarts school books at one time?"

"I would say about 300 Galleons, would cover all your books for the remaining six years that you have not yet purchased."

"That leads me to ask two more questions. Will I have enough in here to do that and since my money bag will not hold that much is there some way I can get one that will?"

The goblin responded most formally, "Sir your vault will hardly notice the withdrawal of one hundred times as much gold. Also all Gringotts' moneybags are enchanted to expand to accommodate any amount of money one wishes."

"Well in that case I will take out 400 Galleons, so that if I find any other books I want, I can get them as well."

As Harry and Griphook were returning to the cart they heard a loud laughing and the sound of a cart approaching. Coming around the corner was a cart with only a single goblin in it laughing and having a grand ol' time. The cart keep up speed as it approached Harry and Griphook's cart. At the last possible second, the cart stopped narrowly avoiding crashing into the other cart.

The occupant of the cart was a very old looking goblin, Harry thought this goblin looked as if he could have been around since the opening of the bank. The goblin hopped out of the cart with the speed and vigour of much younger goblin. As he approached the pair he said, "Griphook, who is this smart young lad you are escorting here?"

"My name is Harry Potter, Sir," Harry responded.

The goblins eyes snapped to Griphook in a look of shock and then returned to Harry. "Harry Potter, The Harry Potter?"

"I do not know about The Harry Potter. I venture a guess that there have been other children named Harry Potter before, but I am a Harry Potter," Harry responded with a grin.

"Indeed, lad, there have been children named Harry Potter, but none as famous as you, lad. Let me introduce myself. I am Gringott."

"The Gringott?" Harry said astonished.

"Yes indeed The Gringott," he said with a chuckle. "I am the founder of this bank."

"Wow! It is a pleasure to meet you," Harry said as he extended his hand to the goblin. Gringott shared another look with Griphook before he took Harry's hand and shook it.

"How is business going for you?" Gringott asked of Harry.

"Fine, Sir. I just came down to get some money so I could buy a couple extra books at Flourish and Blott's."

"Ah, well since you are heading back up would you care to go the more '_scenic_' way."

"Yes, Sir, I would love to," Harry responded immediately.

"No, Sir, I do not enjoy the '_scenic_' tour as much as you do, Sir," Griphook responded.

"Well then Harry care to join me?" Gringott asked as he hurried back into his cart and Griphook got in to his and left. Harry did not have to be asked twice. He quickly took up the seat next to Gringott and the cart rocketed away as soon as Griphook was out of the way.

The ride was amazing they seemed to go on for hours yet it still was not enough. They journeyed to the very depths of the bank as Harry watched the vaults number get smaller and smaller as they rocked around corners and over steep drops laughing and screaming in excitement.

Much later Gringott and Harry returned to the bank lobby and exited the cart with wide grins on their faces. As they made their way back to the entrance Harry said, "Griphook was right, Sir. That never gets old; I could ride that all day and still want to go again."

"I as well Harry, and please call me Gringott, and the only draw back to riding the carts is after awhile your eyes start to hurt from the wind in your face. But none the less if you are ever in the bank again and want another tour just ask for me and we can go for a ride."

"Sure thing Gringott. Until next time," Harry said with a smile while many of the patrons looked at Harry in astonishment.

As Harry exited the bank, he noted that the sun was now up however the shops were not opened yet. Harry slowly made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron to wait for the shops to open. As he entered the pub he looked at the clock on the wall it was just a little after 7 o'clock, he had spent almost two hours in the bank. As he sat down at a table, Tom shuffled over to him and asked if he could get him anything to eat or drink. Harry ordered a small breakfast plate and also got the paper to read while he past the time.

The story that took up most of the front pages was about a break-in at Gringotts. It turns out that someone tried to break-in to vault 713 the same day that Hagrid had emptied it. Harry was happy that Hagrid was lucky enough to have emptied it before it could get broken into. 'What ever was in that vault that Hagrid took must have been very valuable if someone tried to steal it. Hagrid must be a really important guy if he was trusted with the duty of retrieving what ever was in there,' Harry thought to himself.

At a little after 9 o'clock, Harry paid his tab and entered the alley again making his way slowly to the bookshop. Just before the bookshop, Harry saw a display in a shop called Quality Quidditch Supplies. The display was of a mannequin with a pair a goggles and other clothing. Harry got an idea, entered the store, and found a clerk. "Sir, the goggles you have on display will they fit a goblin?"

The clerk looked at him in confusion, "I suppose they would but why do you ask?"

"Well I have a goblin friend who could use a pair."

"You have a friend that is a goblin?" the clerk asked arrogantly.

"Yes, I do. He is a very powerful goblin at the bank. Now how much are those goggles and can you gift-wrap them?"

"3 Galleons and yes we can gift-wrap them."

"Good, can I write a note with them?" Harry said as he handed over the Galleons.

"Sure," the clerk said as he handed Harry a piece of parchment and quill as he hurried off to get the goggles and wrapping paper.

_Gringott_

_I saw these in the store and figured they would make your 'tours' of the bank easier. I hope they fit the clerk here at the store seams to be a bit of an idiot. Thanks again for the tour._

_Harry_

Harry folded the note and gave it to the clerk to place in the wrapped package. He then took the package and on the tag wrote so the clerk could see, Gringott. The clerk just gaped at Harry as he left the store and made his way to Flourish and Blott's.

When he entered the story a thin whisp of a man came bustling over to him and declared, "Hogwarts, first year," and turned away.

"Wait!" Harry had to shout at the man and he turned around to look at the boy in front of him. "I already have my first year books. I was hoping that I could get my books for all the years."

"Well," the man glared at him, "I could sell you the basic books, Transfiguration, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, History of Magic, Astronomy, and Herbology, but after that there are elective classes in your third year."

"What are the electives that I can choose from?"

"Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, and Muggle Studies."

"Well I grew up with muggles so I do not need that one. What are Ancient Runes and Arithmancy?"

"Well the Ancient Runes are used to protect and ward places. While Arithmancy can be a form of divination as well as spell crafting."

"How much would it cost to get a full set of regular class books as well as sets for Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Care of Magical Creatures?"

The man huffed at Harry and said, "About 275 Galleons."

"Ok, I'll take them. But can I look around for a little bit to see if there are any other books I want to get?"

"Look here, boy, I will not waste my time getting books you do not have the money to pay for…"

Harry cut the man off by opening his moneybag and showing him the expanded in side that contained plenty of money for the purchases and more. "I also will need a way to transport my books, because my school trunk will not be able to fit all my books as well as my other essentials."

"I will get you a magic backpack as well," the man said suddenly infinitely more helpful and friendly. The man rushed off to get the books asked for as Harry set off looking through the shelves of books.

Harry browsed for a while not really finding any books he thought he should get. There were plenty of books of interest but Harry just did not think he was ready to read them until he had finished with his schoolbooks first. As Harry was heading to the register, he took note of one last book '_Magic Means of Travel_'. This book might just explain his shadow travel he had been doing. Even if not it may have other means he could use when the shadows were not available. He picked up the book and carried it to the resister. The man totalled up the books and bag, it came to an even 300 Galleons.

'Griphook was right.' Harry thought to himself. As Harry left the bookshop, he turned to make his way up the street to Gringotts to deliver his present. When he entered, the bank there was a large crowd of people queuing to get to the tellers. Harry looked around and spotted Griphook again. He made his way over to him and said, "Hello again Griphook," taking no notice of the many gasps and stares he received.

"What can I do for you Harry?" Griphook smiled at Harry.

"I have a gift for Gringott and I was hoping you could deliver it to him for me."

"It would be my pleasure," Griphook said taking the wrapped gift from Harry.

"Thank you Griphook, that's all I needed. Thanks again," Harry said turning to leave.

"Have a fine day Mr. Potter."

As Harry left the bank, he heard whispers of, "Is that Harry Potter…" and "Did you hear him talking with that goblin…" Harry beat a hasty retreat out of the bank before he could have a repeat of the events of when he entered the Leaky Cauldron the first time.

As Harry made his way back down the street to leave Diagon Alley he realized that the sun was to high in the sky for him to travel back to the Dursleys' the way we came so he made a detour to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour to have a bit of ice cream and review his magical travel book.

Harry sat in the corner of the shop at a table casually eating his ice cream and looking through his book. There was no mention of his shadow travelling but as Harry was skimming through the book, he came upon a form called Apparition. As Harry read through the theory on Apparition it sounded a lot like what he did when he travelled by shadow. When he had finished the section on Apparition, he decided that he was going to try it, so he hurriedly finished his ice cream and headed out of Diagon Alley and to a dark alley out side of the Leaky Cauldron. In the alley, Harry checked to see that he had everything and concentrated on his room at the Dursleys' and suddenly he was there. He liked this being a wizard thing.

Harry unpacked his new backpack, laid out his books, and began reading when the doorbell rang. Moments later his uncle bellowed, "Boy, get down here, now." Harry quickly marked his page, put his wand in his front pocket, and made his way down stairs. As he descended the stairs, he noticed the guest who had arrived. The guest was a stern looking woman with her dark hair up in a bun and glasses perched on her nose and a wand out ready for action. He gave a small smile as he descended to the bottom of the stairs.

"Are you Harry Potter?" she said briskly.

"Yes," he said with trepidation as she levelled her wand at him.

"Have either of you noticed any one strange in the last few minutes?" She asked of both Vernon and Harry.

"Just you, you freak. How dare you come to my house with your little stick out for the neighbours to see? I will not allow freaks to invade my home. Get out!" Vernon bellowed.

Harry could tell this was a mistake. The woman flicked her wand at the man and he was suddenly silent as he tried to continue with his rant. "Harry how about you? Did you see any thing weird?"

"No, Ma'am. I just got back a few moments ago, and I arrived in my room," he said quickly.

She lowered her wand and fixed him with a stern look. "What to do you mean you arrived in you room?"

"Well Ma'am, I went to Diagon Alley to gets some books and when I was done I Apparated back to my room."

"YOU WHAT?" she said in total shock.

"Well I did not know how to get back home so I bought a book on magical travel and read the section on Apparation. It seemed easy enough so I went to a dark alley and Apparated back to my room."

"You are telling me that you Apparated from Diagon Alley to your room on the first try with no training."

"Yes Ma'am. Did I do something wrong?" Harry asked fearful.

"No… Yes… No… I think we need to sit down and talk."

"Sure but can you do me a favour?"

"Yes, what do you need?"

"Can you undo my uncle he's starting to turn purple and that just spells trouble for me later," Harry said pointing to his uncle.

"Oh yes, I forgot about him. Listen hear muggle. I do not appreciate being called a freak. Harry and I are going to sit down and have a discussion. I do not want any interruptions form you. Is that clear?"

"If you do not want him interrupting then we had best just leave him like he is and go to my room," Harry interrupted knowing that uncle Vernon would not be able to keep himself from interrupting.

"Fine, lead the way Harry."

Harry led the witch up the stairs and opened the door to his room. As soon as she entered, she stood flabbergasted, as Harry took no notice of her shock. He proceeded to wave his wand and change one of his cousin's broken toys into a chair that he offered to the witch while he moved his desk chair over by it. The witch sat down in shock, not noticing its creation.

"First off Ma'am, what is your name," Harry said pleasantly.

The witch finally composed herself and her face returned to a stern demeanour. "My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall. I teach at Hogwarts."

"Really what do you teach?" Harry started grilling the woman in his excitement. "I am really looking forward to learning more magic. I seem to be pretty good at it. I have not had any trouble with the spells I have tried so far. Although I don't wave my wand and say the words like it says in the books. Is that wrong? I hope not because I would hate to start out doing it wrong."

"You have already done some of the spells in the books?" McGonagall asked amazed.

"Yea, I changed my room as you can see. I also did all of the spells in my Charms book and most of the ones in my Transfiguration book. I can't do some of them because I do not have the mice, rabbits or other animals needed."

"Well, let me be the first say that is very impressive. However, as you are not of age you are not supposed to be doing magic outside of school. You have just happened upon a loophole in the system that will allow you to do magic until you start school. I recommend however that you tread carefully. While it looks like you are not having any problems with magic, it could get very dangerous very quickly if it gets out of control. As for your Apparating, that is illegal. I will not turn you in because it is obvious that you did not know this law."

"Oh I am sorry I didn't know. Ever since Hagrid told me I was a wizard I was immensely curious and I wanted to try and learn and do as much as possible."

"Well then now that that is settled. Do you have any questions for me?"

"A few actually, first, why are you here? Not that I mind. It was just a little odd that you show up with your wand out and ready to fight."

"Well I was in meeting with the Headmaster and suddenly he said that someone had Apparated into your house."

"How did you know that?"

"Well after the mishap with your Hogwarts letter we decided we needed to keep a closer watch on you so we set up a few wards to do so. The wards alerted the Headmaster and since there are only a few of the teachers that know where this house is, he sent me to look in on you."

"Why didn't he come himself?"

"I will have you know Mr. Potter I am a perfectly capable witch that can handle checking out a single Apparation intruder on my own," she said with a twinge of anger.

"I didn't mean anything by it. I just thought since he was the one that new someone Apparated in here he would come himself," Harry said apologetically.

"Well then all I can say is that he did not feel it necessary to come since he did not think it was a major threat but just needed to be investigated."

"Ok, I have one more question. Since I know my uncle and when he gets mad nothing good can come of it, I do not believe he will be willing to take me to Kings Cross to catch the train. So how am I to get to the train to get to Hogwarts if I am not allowed to Apparate?"

"Well I believe there is another magical family that is not to far from here maybe I can talk with them about stopping by here to give you a ride to the station. I believe their daughter will be starting Hogwarts this year as well, so it will give you an opportunity to meet one of your fellow classmates. I will owl you later this week and inform you if they are able to give you a ride. If not then I will arrange something else for you."

"Thank you. By the way you never told me what class you taught."

"I teach transfiguration. If there is nothing else I should be getting back to the school to inform the Headmaster that there is no threat here." With that, she bid Harry good-bye as Harry walked her out of the house.

When Harry closed the door and turned to go back up stairs he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to a purple bloated face of his uncle, still unable to make a sound. Uncle Vernon just glared at Harry expectantly.

"Oh, sorry," Harry said catching on to what his uncle wanted. Harry flicked his want at uncle Vernon and his voice returned to him.

"UP IN YOUR ROOM! NO MEALS!" he bellowed.

Harry spent the rest of the summer locked in his room able to read his schoolbooks. Which he did not mind, he did not like being around his 'relatives' anyway. At night, Harry would use his shadow travel to get food from the kitchen.

As September 1 arrived, Harry had finished reading and practicing the spells in his books up through third year and browsed through those of his fourth year. He packed his trunk and his backpack and was ready to meet the Tonkses at 9:30am as per Professor McGonagall's owl.

Harry found himself ready and waiting at 9 o'clock. "Better to be early, just in case something goes wrong," Harry said to himself.

**A/N: **I am planing on having Harry be a real prankster. So I would appreciate any and all prank ideas that you may have. Please leave them in the comments.


	2. Book 1: Chapter 2

** Disclaimer: **This is fan fiction people. We own none of this stuff.

** A/N: **I am looking for a beta to do a little proof-reading for me. Any volunteers,just leave your name in the comments and I will get back to you.

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_**Chapter 2**_

September 1st, a warm summers day, found Harry sitting on his trunk in the driveway of #4 Privet Drive waiting for his ride, away from his 'relatives'. His ride was supposed to arrive 9:30, however they were 20 minutes late.

'Did they forget to come get me?' Harry thought to himself as he began to get really worried. 'I am going to have to Apparate if they don't get here soon. I'll give them till 10 o'clock then I will sneak off to a quite place and Apparate to the station. I will have to Apparate to someplace deserted but close to the station. But where to go I don't know the station that well. Maybe I can send Hedwig to Professor McGonagall and she can tell me what to do. I don't want to get into trouble by Apparating illegally.'

"What's that matter Freak? Don't you have a way to get to your freak school? You know Mum and Dad aren't going to let you back in the house?" Dudley drawled form the doorway.

"Shut up, Diddy Kins," Harry snapped back. "I don't need a ride. If it comes down to it I can just disappear and reappear where I need to be."

"Don't lie, Freak."

Just as Harry was, about to snap back at Dudley a great beat up old car came screeching down the street and stopped in front of the Dursleys' drive. As Dudley gaped in horror at the old beat up car, three passengers stepped out. The driver was a man with fair hair and a great belly, nowhere near as large as uncle Vernon's. From the passengers side stepped a tall thin rather pretty woman with warm brown hair. However, Harry barely noticed that they were there as his focus was drawn to the young girl getting out of the backseat of the car. She was the same height as Harry with a beautiful heart shaped face and happy blue eyes. She had shoulder length blond hair that Harry swore had pink tips.

All Harry could do was stare at her. Harry had seen pretty girls before, there was one from primary school that was rather pretty but this girl made her look ugly to Harry. There was something else as well, something just a little bit different about her. Not different bad but different as in magical.

"Harry Potter?" the man said snapping Harry out of is comma.

"Yes, Sir," Harry mumbled.

The woman smiled happily at him as the girl came bounding over to Harry and hugged him. This nearly set him back again; as soon as the girl broke away, he wanted another hug. "My name is Tonks. This is my Mum and Dad," the girl said.

"Name is Ted Tonks actually and that there is Andi and this is our Dora." Ted added.

"Nymphadora, actually." Andi corrected.

"Wow what a pretty girl… name." Harry blushed.

Nymphadora did not hear Harry's slip up as she was yelling at her Mum. "Don't call me Nymphadora!" She turned back to Harry. "That goes for you too, call me Tonks," she growled at him. "I don't like my name."

"Don't scare the boy," Andi responded.

"Why don't you like your name, its pretty?" Harry asked.

"It's all girly and I just don't like it, Ok." Tonks huffed.

"Ok," Harry responded meekly.

"Well then now that we got the names all straightened out, how about we load up and get going so we aren't late." Ted responded jovially. Tonks and Andi climbed back in the car as Harry and Ted went to the boot and lift in Harry's trunk. Harry looked in side and noticed that the boot was magically expanded so that the two trunks would fit comfortably. As Harry and Ted lifted the trunk to place it in the car Ted said, "You were a bit stunned by my daughter there, Harry."

Harry blushed, "Yea, she is very pretty."

"You just be watching yourself boy. That's my only little girl."

"No, Sir. I… I mean…" Harry spluttered.

"Don't worry son. You to are a bit to young to be up to no good but I can tell when a boy is smitten. Same thing happened to me when I first saw Andi as well."

"Yes Sir." Harry did not know what else to say. Ted reached up, closed the boot, and made his way to the driver's seat and Harry just shook his head and got in the backseat with his backpack and Hedwig in her cage.

"So you're The Harry Potter?" Tonks asked apprehensively.

"Well I don't know about The Harry Potter. I am sure there have been other kids named Harry Potter, but yes my name is Harry Potter." Harry responded with a smile.

Tonks blushed but continued, "You're famous, so why are you living with muggles?"

"Well I don't want to be famous and I am living with muggles because they are unfortunately the only 'family' I have. I would happily live anywhere but with them." Harry said dejectedly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was that bad." Tonks responded.

Harry looked over to giver her a reassuring smile when he noticed her hair had gone blue. "Wha… what happened to your hair? It's all blue now." Harry stuttered.

"Damn."

"Nymphadora!" her mother yelled.

"Sorry mum." Tonks said quickly. "I almost have complete control, but when I get real emotional I can't help some of my changes."

"You mean magical people can change the way they look?" Harry concentrated on his hair and willed it be blue just like Tonks.

While Harry was concentrating on his hair Tonks said, "Well not everyone can but you see I am a Metamorphmagus and their really rare… Whoa." Tonks gaped at Harry.

"Did it work? I can't see my Hair."

"Yeah, your hair is blue."

"Cool, what else can we change?"

"Well it depending on how skilled you are at being a Metamorphmagus otherwise you can change just about anything. The only thing I can't change is that I'm a girl. I can't be a boy. This is so fun we can have so much fun together when we get to Hogwarts. But don't tell anyone that you are a Metamorphmagus people tend to give you dirty looks and treat you differently when they know."

While Tonks was talking Harry proceeded to give himself a Pinocchio nose that touched the back of the seat in front of him. Tonks giggled. 'She has a pretty giggle. I will have to make her do that more often.'

The rest of the way to Kings Cross was spent with Harry and Tonks changing into funny faces and hairstyles trying to out due and make the other laugh while Andi and Ted exchanged knowing looks.

Because of their late departure at the Dursleys' Harry and the Tonkses arrived at Kings Cross with just minutes to spare. However, they were not the only ones. A rather large group of red heads were gathered at the station and greeted Andi and Ted with warm hellos.

"Andi I only thought you had one child. Who is this with you?" the woman who was obviously the mother of the large group of red heads asked.

"This is Harry Potter." Andi stated waving her hand at Harry.

"Merlin's beard, The Harry Potter?"

"Well he is a Harry Potter." Tonks said snickering. "Hey Fred, George."

"Hey Tonksie…" one of the twin red heads said.

"Are you ready to…" the other twin continued.

"Cause lots of…" the first twin, responded.

"Havoc." They fished together.

"Yea I think Harry and I are going to be able effect more trouble then you two merry pranksters." Tonks retorted. Tonks turned to Harry, "This lot is Fred and George Weasley. That one is Fred and that one is George." Tonks said pointing at a random twin and then the other.

"I believe that is a challenge, bother o' mine." Said George

"Indeed it is. We accept." Responded Fred.

"We will discuss terms when we get to Hogwarts." George finished.

"Actually that one is Fred and that one is George." Harry corrected pointing to the twins in the opposite order of Tonks.

"How did you know?" the twins responded in unison.

"I don't know I can just tell." Harry answer with a shrug.

"We better…" started Fred.

"Keep and eye…" continued George.

"On this one." Finished Fred.

"Well we had better hurry. This lot have to get on the train." Ted said pushing Harry's, Tonks's trunks and Hedwig's cage right up to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and proceeded to walk right through it.

"So that's were it is. I had never heard a platform 9¾ before and was worried about finding it." Harry sighed.

"Come on Harry," Tonks said as she linked arms with Harry and proceeded to drag Harry, after her Dad, through the barrier. When they passed through the barrier, Harry was in for a grand surprise. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, as the noise of cats, owls, and the scraping of heavy trunks reached his ears. It was beautiful chaos. Harry tried to take in as much as he could as Tonks drug him along the platform after her father. They were up in the train in mere moments. Having found the compartment where Ted had stored their trunks, Harry shrugged off his backpack and followed the two Tonkses out of the train to say goodbye to Andi.

Andi was standing with the red headed woman from before. "Harry, I would like to introduce you to Molly Weasley and her daughter Ginny Weasley. Molly, Ginny this is Harry Potter."

"How do you do?" Harry said politely extending his hand to Molly and then Ginny. Ginny just gaped at him. Tonks elbowed her to get her back to the real world and to shake Harry's hand.

"Very good, Harry. I would like for you to meet the rest of my children," Molly said as her children returned to her. "Well you already met Fred and George. This is Percy," he bowed officiously and shook Harry's hand formally. Tonks had to stifle a giggle. "And this is Ron; this is his first year too." Ron smiled and gave a little wave.

Just as Andi and Molly were striking up a conversation the whistle from the train blew letting them know it was about to leave the station. "We must get on the train Mother, and I have to get to the Prefects cart." Percy said pompously as he kissed his mother and rushed off.

Tonks gave her Mum and Dad a hug and a kiss and promises to write them the after the first week. As Tonks grabs Harry's hand to drag him off to the train Harry was quickly pulled back into a fierce backbreaking hug from Mrs. Weasley. "You can't go off to Hogwarts with out a hug so there." When Mrs. Weasley finally let go he found himself in another hug from Mrs. Tonks as well, only this one did not try to realign his spine and a firm handshake and wink from Mr. Tonks. As he was dragged off by Tonks, he heard Ginny call, "Bye Harry."

When Harry and Tonks finally got situated in their compartment and the train started rolling Tonks laughed at Harry. "What's so funny?" Harry asks not getting the joke.

"I think the Weasley women are a bit taken with you," Tonks snickered.

"Well Mrs. Weasley was just being a mom, and I got the impression that Ginny was just star struck. She definitely is not my type. I'm not really into red heads."

"That's good to know. 'Never have red hair.'" Tonks laugh to herself. "So what was it like growing up with muggles?"

"Horrible!" Harry spat. "Dudley would beat me up and then my uncle would lock me in my cupboard for getting into a fight with Dudley and my aunt would just ignore me like I didn't exist. When Hagrid told me I was a wizard and that there was a school I would be going to so I could learn magic. I didn't believe him at first but once we got to Diagon Alley it was like my life was a thousand times better and nothing my 'relatives' did mattered any more. And I found I was pretty good at this magic stuff."

"Oh so you have done some magic let me see," Tonks asked sceptically.

"Well what do you want me to do?"

"Well anything you can."

"Ok" Harry pulled his wand from his pocket and gave it a bit of a flick and suddenly the room had changed colours. Where the seat had originally been a nice caramel, they were now canary yellow. The carpet that was once black with flecks of red was now lime green with orange polka dots and the mahogany wood in the compartment was now purple and red striped.

"Wow, this is really ugly. Change it back, change it back!"

Harry flicked his wand again and laughed. "You shouldn't have said I could do what ever I wanted."

"That was impressive but scary. Who taught you to do that anyway?"

"No one," Harry said quizzically. "I just read how to change the colour of things in our Transfiguration book, and tried it, and found I could do it with out any problems."

"Wow, that's gonna make Transfiguration a breeze for you if you can do all the spells that well. And I didn't even hear you say a thing."

"I didn't. I found also that if you concentrate hard enough you could do it with out saying any words or waving your wand in funny ways. When I talked with Professor McGonagall, she said I was right but that I needed to be carful so nothing bad would happen. She was really nice. She said she wouldn't even turn me in for the illegal Apparation I did."

"What do you mean… You Apparated?" Tonks asked in wonder.

"Yea, I was in Diagon Alley one morning and I didn't know how to get back home when I got all my shopping done, so when I read in my magical travel book about Apparating I tried it and it worked."

"But how did you get there in the first place and why couldn't you just get back the way you came."

"Well," Harry looked at he door real quick and said, "Can you keep a secret?" Harry didn't know why he wanted to keep his shadow travel secret. Tonks nodded and leaned in closer to Harry. "When it's dark I can travel around in the shadows like when I Apparated."

"What?"

"Well, if it is really dark and everything I can become a black shadow like thing and if I think hard enough about someplace I want to be I will reappear in the shadows around that place. I think that is why it was so easy to Apparate; it was explained a lot like how I moved when I was a shadow."

"That's kind of weird."

"Oh, I understand if you don't want to be around me any more. When ever Dudley would tell kids at school about me they would think I was weird and creepy and then leave me alone." Harry said dejected at the loss of his first magical friend.

"Oh No. Harry I don't want to stop being around you. It is just I have never heard of anyone travelling my shadow, and to be able to Apparate at our age is unheard of. You must be really powerful if you can do it. However, I don't think you should tell too many people about it because just like being a Metamorphmagus people will treat you different."

"Thanks Tonks, I really like you and I don't want to lose my first real friend so soon after I met her."

"You like me? Most people just think I am weird, or if they know about my Metamorphmagus ability ask me to do funny faces or say mean things."

"Well you are weird but I think that makes you cute and I am a Metamorphmagus to so why would I ask you to change or be mean."

"You think I'm cute?" Tonks blushed and Harry quickly followed.

Just as Harry was, about to respond there was a knock on the door and a tall red headed boy stuck his head in. "Can I sit in here with you? Fred and George kicked my out of their compartment."

"Yea sure." Harry said quickly and Tonks nodded her head reluctantly.

"So Ron, how have you been?" Tonks asked reluctantly.

"What, oh fine," Ron answered barely paying attention to Tonks. "Were you at Gringotts about three weeks ago around 10:30 in the morning?" Ron blurted at Harry.

"What? Oh yea, I had a present to drop off for a goblin friend of mine. He had taken me on a really fun ride in the carts. When we were done he complained about how the only draw back to riding the carts was the wind in his eyes so when I saw the goggles in the Quidditch shop, I just had to get them for him. And since I didn't want to disturb him I just asked Griphook if he could deliver them for me the next time he saw Gringott."

Ron and Tonks just stared at Harry like he had grown three new heads. Ron was the first to regain his composure saying, "I was there and I saw you. How hard was it to learn how to speak Gobbledegook?"

"What do you mean Gobbledegook? I was just talking with Griphook like I had earlier," Harry asked a little worried.

"Well mate, you were speaking in goblin language, Gobbledegook. You didn't know?" Ron responded amazed.

"No, I had met Griphook before and no one ever taught me how to speak Gobbledegook before." Harry said really worried now. "I take it that it is weird to be able to speak Gobbledegook."

"Well some people can speak it but it takes years to learn it. You did it with out even knowing it." Tonks said as a smile crept across her face. "I can tell you are going to be full of surprises. I definitely hope we are in the same house."

"What house do you think you will be in anyway, Tonks?" Ron asked.

"Well I doubt I will be in Slytherin like my Mum was, I am sneaky and all that but I'm a halfblood and they only take purebloods. I don't think I will be in Ravenclaw either, I'm just not into the studying thing I like to be the cause of a little bit of trouble, so most likely Gryffindor, maybe Hufflepuff. What about you, Ron?"

"Well my whole family has been in Gryffindor so far and from tell it tends to run in families. What about you Harry?" Ron turned and asked.

"Well I don't know much about the houses other then all the dark wizards come out of Slytherin." Harry said unsure how else to answer.

"Well that is not completely true. My mum's cousin Sirius was a Gryffindor and he is in Azkaban for being a dark wizard, but a lot of them do come out of Slytherin."

"Don't listen to her, you should be in Slytherin, it's the only house to turn out any decent wizards in ages," said a drawling voice from the doorway.

"Sod off Draco!" Tonks spat at the blond haired boy from Madam Malkin's.

"Oh, dear cousin, what are you doing slumming with a weasel. How low has your family sunk? Are you going to try to live up to you name sake and be a little nymph for the boys' herk…" Draco never finished his insult since he was out cold on the floor with blood flowing from his nose as Harry had lept up and punched Draco in the noise. Harry stood there seething with anger at the nasty little git at his feet.

"You will defiantly be in Gryffindor. He's my knight in shining armour, ready to defend my honour at a moments notice and he just met me." Tonks snickered.

Harry composed himself and responded, "Anytime my Milady," with a bow.

Tonks quickly jumped up and gave Harry a peck on the cheek while kicking up he right foot and then fell into a seat in a fit of laughter.

Ron stood up and said, "What are we going to do with him?"

Then George's voice could be heard from a little ways down the train, "Don't worry boys we will handle this piece of trash for you." And before anyone could say anything Fred and George were dragging Draco to the back of the train with wicked grins on their face.

"What are they going to do with him?" Harry turned to Ron and asked.

"Nothing he doesn't deserve." Ron responded with a laugh.

Just as Harry and Ron were sitting back down with a now subdued Tonks, a squeaking noise could be heard coming form Ron's shirt pocket. Ron reached in his pocket and pulled out a fat rat, he then reached in one of his pants pockets, pulled out a bit of cheese, and fed the cheese to the rat. As Ron scratched the rat's head Harry looked on quizzically.

"Harry, do you have anything interesting to read in your backpack?" Tonks whined.

Harry pulled his eyes away from Ron and his rat to answer Tonks. "Well all I have in my bag is my school books but feel free to read anything you want." Harry handed over his bag to Tonks.

"Harry, we only have seven classes. Why do you have over fifty books in hear? I thought you said they were only your school books."

"I decided to get all my school books at once since I learned all the stuff from our first year books."

"Well maybe my knight in shinning armour will be from Ravenclaw with all the studying you have been doing."

"Well I don't really like to study I was just really interested to learn more when I found I could do the spells."

"You can do spells already? My brothers gave me a spell to turn my rat, Scabbers, yellow but I don't think it is a real spell." Ron chimed in.

"Let's see it. I know Harry can do magic, but what about you?" Tonks snapped.

Ron started to wave his wand above the rat that had fallen asleep on his lap. Ron had opened his mouth to say his spell as the door burst open and a bushy haired girl stood in the door way and said, "Hi. I'm Hermione Granger and this is Neville Longbottom. Neville here has lost his toad, Trevor. Have you seen it? Oh, are you doing magic? I would love to see a real spell. I've tried a few spells from our books and they worked for me."

The trio just sat and stared at her until Ron finally responded, "Which one of those questions do you want me to answer first? And can you repeat them slowly so we can answer them, one at a time, please?"

Hermione blushed and said, "Have you seen Neville's toad, Trevor?"

"No but let me try something." Harry said and pulled out his wand gave it a small flick and said, "Trevor." Instantly a large dark green toad flew out from under the seat, Hermione had taken in the compartment, and into Harry's hand. "Is this Trevor?"

"Yea thanks. My name is Neville Longbottom, what's yours?" the boy said with a happy smile, as he took the toad from Harry and stuffed him in his pocket.

"My name is Harry Potter and this is Ron Weasley and Tonks" Harry responded point to Ron and then Tonks.

"You're The Harry Potter?" Hermione asked. "I know all about you. You're in '_Modern Magical History_' and '_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_' and '_Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_'."

"Well I'm not The Harry Potter." Harry responded and Hermione looked embarrassed.

"But he is A Harry Potter." Tonks said with a laugh.

Hermione blushed and turned back to Ron. "Well we know Harry can do magic let's see that spell you were going to do."

Ron lifted his wand again, said, "Sunshine, daises, butter mellow, Turn this stupid fat rat yellow", and waved his wand over the rat. Nothing happened. "Stupid Fred and George! Gits!"

"Feel free to join us. It is not fair we have a whole compartment with only three people in it. Tonks and I were just going to sit and read but you are free to join us if you want." Harry said as Tonks dug out Harry's book on magical travel and passed the bag back to him. Harry pulled out his fourth year Potions book and got comfortable in the seat next to Tonks.

"What books do you have to read in there?" Hermione asked. Harry just handed her his backpack and opened his book.

"Feel free to read what ever you want, just be sure I get them back before you leave."

Hermione looked inside Harry's bag and gasped. "Yea we know there are a lot of books in there; he will most likely be in Ravenclaw." Ron said quickly to stifle another frantic set of questions from the bushy haired girl.

As Tonks, Harry, and Hermione sat quietly with books Neville and Ron talked Quidditch. Harry listened in for a while but had trouble following since he had never seen a game before.

The time flew by and soon it was lunchtime. Just as Harry was thinking that he should have packed some food there was a knock on the door and an elderly witch pushing a trolley asked if they wanted anything from the cart. Harry instantly jumped up to ask what they had.

"No, mum packed me some sandwiches," Ron said dejectedly. Harry quickly looked over the cart.

"I will take five of everything," Harry said as he pulled out a hand full of coins and passed them to the witch who began passing out the snacks.

"You didn't have to do that. I had something to eat," Ron said with a bit of a blush.

"Well, I have the money so I am going to use it to make sure my friends aren't hungry." They spent the rest of the trip eating sweets and cakes as they told jokes and got to know each other.

When it came time for them to change into there Hogwarts robes Ron, Hermione, and Neville left to find there trunks while Harry stepped into the hall to allow Tonks some privacy to change. While standing outside the door to their compartment the Weasley twins passed by the in the corridor and said, "Don't worry mate."

"Draco won't…" Fred continued.

"Remember a thing…" George responded

"About what happened…"

"To him."

"That is if…"

"He makes it…"

"To Hogwarts." The twins finished with an evil laugh.

"Do I even want to know?" Harry said.

"Best not…" Started Fred.

"To know." Finished George.

The twins disappeared down the corridor as Tonks opened the door so Harry could change into his Hogwarts robes. Just as Harry finishes putting on his new school robes a magical voice was heard through out the train, "Welcome to the Hogsmeade Station. Please leave your things on the train, they will be delivered to your dorms for you, and exit the train at this time. Thank you and have a great school year." At the end of the message Harry opened the door and proceeded to exit the train close on Tonks's heals.

When they got off the train on onto the platform a booming voice that Harry recognized could be heard over all the clatter and chatter from the students. "Firs' Years, Firs' Years follow me, Firs' Years. 'Arry good to see yer, ready for yer firs' year?" Tonks and Harry quickly followed behind Hagrid as he forced a path through the throng of students. Hagrid led them from the platform down to the lake. "Everyone in, four to a boat."

Harry and Tonks climbed into one of the boats and were quickly followed by Hermione and Neville. Hagrid got a boat all to himself as they set sail out of the cove and out into the great black lake. Harry got his first look at Hogwarts as the castle loomed over them on the edge of a massive cliff.

Hogwarts was a massive stone castle with impressively large towers and hundreds of windows over looking the lake. As they sailed over the black lake Tonks suddenly whimpered and grabbed Harry's hand as a thing could be seen lightly breaking the surface of the water. "Not ta worry tha' just the giant squid. 'E's 'armless, 'less e's 'ungry. 'E knows ta leave firs' years be." Hagrid yelled back to the students. Tonks still did not let go of Harry's hand, and he wasn't going to complain.

"Watch yer 'eads," Hagrid called as they entered a low hanging tunnel into the rock wall. Moments latter, the boats stopped at a small dock next to a set of stairs to a massive wooden door. Harry quickly got out and offered his hand to Tonks to help her out of the boat. Neville did the same thing to Hermione. After every one was out of the boats, Hagrid led them up the stairs and through the wood door into a large antechamber. "You lot wait 'ere and Professor McGonagall with escort you in fer yer sorting."

As Hagrid left through the other door a voice from behind them could be heard, "You be the new students. I pray you be a benefit to your prospective houses." The greeting came from the portrait that now covered the doorway they entered from.

As all the first years turned to see this talking portrait, a scream from the other side of the room was heard. Everyone quickly turned to see four gray people float through the wall and turn to see where the screams had come from.

"Ho, Ho. I think we scared the poor girl. Not to worry Miss we are just the house ghosts, at your service," a fat jolly looking ghost said trying to reassure the poor girl.

"I think dear Friar we best take our leave before we scare the young lady any more then has already been done," said a very formal looking ghost with a large ruff. The four ghosts proceeded to continue on through the far wall in the direction that they were originally headed.

Just as the girl had been calmed down by her friend, the door Hagrid had left through opened and Professor McGonagall entered and addressed the now very nervous first years. Professor McGonagall addressed the collective body very sternly, "In a few moments you will be sorted into houses. The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While here at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. You will attend classes with your fellow housemates, eat meals with them, and live in your house dormitory. You will gain house point for proper behaviour and lose house points for rule breaking. At the end of the year, the house with the most point will win the house cup. I expect all of you to be a fine asset to your house. I am head of Gryffindor and I expect those sorted into my house to be the best they can be. I assure you that the heads of the other houses expect the same." When Professor McGonagall finished her speech, she gave a little sniff and continued, "I will return momentarily to take you into the great hall for your sorting," and she turned and exited the room.

"What do you think we have to do to be sorted?" a tall black boy said in a snooty voice.

"My brothers said something about wrestling a baby giant." Ron responded.

"That would be too dangerous," Harry responded. Just as panic settled firmly on the huddled first years, the door opened again and McGonagall returned and led them through the door.

**A/N: **I am planing on having Harry be a real prankster. So I would appreciate any and all prank ideas that you may have. Please leave them in the comments.


	3. Book 1: Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **This is fan fiction people. We own none of this stuff.

**A/N: **Thank you, to those who have posted reviews. It's what keeps me writing. I am going to attempt an updating schedule of a new chapter up every two weeks, but I make no set in stone guarantee. A couple questions I keep getting I have decided to answer here.

Yes this is going to be a Harry/Tonks story. They are going to go from friends to school sweethearts and on.

I will not be giving information away about the title of this story other then it is a magical person that is even rarer than being a metamorphmagus.

Also Harry's 'shadow' ability is what he is calling it not what I would call it. Then again I know what he is really doing.

..oo00[[00oo..

**_Chapter 3 _**

Utterly amazing was the only way Harry could think of describing the room that Professor McGonagall had led them to. A large table spanned the width of the room, seated at this table were many adults. 'They must be the Professors,' Harry thought to himself. Perpendicular to the High Table were four enormously long table filled with students. Hanging above each table was a decorative banner with each house's crest and colours displayed proudly.

All the seated students and teachers' eyes were fixed on the entering crowd of first years. However, every eye of the first years was fixed on the ceiling.

Breath taking would be a very literal description of this wonderful work of magic for most of the first year crowd had forgotten to take a breath as they stared into the night sky.

The ceiling reflected the night sky outside as if there was no ceiling at all. The stars were out and very few clouds out but those that were out were reflected by the enchanted ceiling as if they were just out of reach. The first years were so caught up in the wonderful sight above them that they missed Professor McGonagall place a three-legged stool in front of the teachers table and placed an old rugged wizard's hat upon the stool.

As a shrill voice cried out across the hall all eyes were quickly drawn from wherever they were looking to watch the old rugged hat start to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

"So all we have to do is sit on the stool and the hat will tell us what house we are in?" Ron said incensed. "Gits!" Rod yelled at his brothers.

Harry's nerves eased quickly when he realized all he would have to do is sit on a stool and put on a hat. Harry really didn't care what house he was in as long as he was with his friends. 'Well I suppose Slytherin won't be any fun if Draco gets in but still. As long as I can be with my friends, I don't care,' Harry thought to himself as Professor McGonagall started calling the students.

"Abbott, Hannah!" Call Professor McGonagall.

A very nervous looking girl with blond pigtails moved to the stool and placed the hat on her head. The hat fell down right over her eyes and moments later, the hat shouted out to the hall, "HUFFLEPUFF!" The Second table on the left exploded in cheers and applause.

Harry looked to his right at Tonks. She was biting her bottom lip and her hair had started to get a green tinge.

"Bones, Susan!"

But Harry was not listening anymore; Tonks was upset and losing control over her powers he had to do something so her secret didn't get out. Harry slowly reached out and grabbed Tonks hand. When she felt something touch her hand, she quickly looked over and saw Harry smiling at her. When she noticed the smile, she let go of her lip and smiled back. Her hair was still had a pale green hue to it. Harry slowly leaned over to Tonks's ear and said, "You're looking a little green," and grabbed a lock of her hair and moved it so she could see it. Tonks blushed and looked around as she concentrated on changing her hair back to its standard blond with pink tips.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione ran at the stool and shoved the hat down over her eyes.

Moments later it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

When Harry looked back at Tonks, she had resumed biting her lip. So Harry moved closer, held her left hand with his left, and used his right hand to rub her back.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

Neville barely got the hat to touch his hair when it cried out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry leaned in to whisper in Tonks's ear, "No matter what houses we are in we will always be friends. I just met you, I won't lose you already."

Tonks smiled and stopped biting her lip.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

No one moved to the stool. 'What did those two do?' Harry thought to himself.

"Malfoy, Draco!"

Still no one moved.

"When was the last time anyone saw Draco?" Professor McGonagall said while giving the first years a piercing look.

No one answered. Ron, Tonks, and Harry were the last ones to see Draco conscious before Fred and George whisked him away, but none of them were going to rat out the twins.

"Hagrid you had better send an owl to the train immediately," a very tall, very old looking man said leaning across the table looking down towards Hagrid, who was sitting at the far end of the table. Hagrid quickly got up and stumped out of the hall. "It would be best to just continue with the sorting," Dumbledore said.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…, "Nott"…, "Parkinson"…, twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"…, then "Perks, Sally-Anne"…, and then finally.

"Potter, Harry!"

Harry gave Tonks's hand a reassuring squeeze, smiled, and stepped forward. Whispers broke out all around the hall. "Did she say Potter?" and "The Harry Potter?"

Harry just rolled his eyes and sat on the stool. The hat easily covered his eyes. He waited, 'So, now what?'

'Now we sort you,' said a small voice in Harry's head.

'What… Who are you?'

'I'm the sorting hat. Weren't you listening to my song, lad?'

'So, what house am I in?'

'That's up to you, lad.'

'I thought that was your job?'

'Well I am here to give advice.'

'Then were do you think I should go?'

'Let's see… Plenty of courage, a good bit of brains as well, loyal to a fault. I see a bits of others I have sorted. You would do well almost anywhere with your abilities, lad.'

'I want to be with Tonks and my friends.'

'Ah, well I don't know Tonks, but your friends went to Gryffindor. Are you sure you want that?'

'Yea with my friends.'

'Fine then…', "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry quickly pulled off the hat and rushed to the cheering table. Harry was vigorously patted on the back by the twins as Percy pompously shook his hand. Cheers of "We got Potter! We got Potter!" could be heard from farther down the table. As Harry sat down, he looked back up at Tonks. She was looking down at her feet and biting her lip again. Harry looked around the room as he waited for Tonks's name to be called.

Sitting at the centre of the High Table in a large ornate chair sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him from the Chocolate Frog card that Ron was collecting. Harry also spotted Professor Quirrell, the overly nervous man from his first trip to the Leaky Cauldron. The man now had a purple turban wrapped on his head.

There were now only five people left to sort. "Thomas, Dean," became a Gryffindor.

"Tonks, Nymphadora!"

Tonks groaned when she heard her first name. She quickly shuffled over to the stool and stuck the hat down on her head, it completely covered her head but a little bit of her hair could be seen sticking out around the brim of the hat. As time wore on Harry noticed that her hair started to turn green and then quickly changed to any angry red and just as the hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" Tonks hair changed back to its blond and pink combo.

When she heard the hat scream, she quickly pulled off the hat and ran to the table to sit next to Harry. As she sat down Harry gave her a big hug and said, "There's no stopping us now. We will cause so much chaos."

Tonks hugged Harry back and said, "Stupid hat wanted to put me in Hufflepuff."

Harry was so busy listening to Tonks that he missed Ron become a Gryffindor as well. After the last boy was sorted into Slytherin, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet. He beamed down at all the students and said, "Welcome, Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before our feast, I would like to say a few words. And they are 'Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!'

"Thank you!"

He sat back down and everybody clapped. Harry laughed, "At least he has a sense of humour." As the applause died down the table was suddenly filled with food.

Over were the days of having to sneak to the kitchen at night to knick food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: Roast Chicken, Pork chops, sausages, bacon, steak, boiled potatoes, roasted potatoes, chips, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, salt and vinegar.

Harry was determined to eat his fill, even if he regretted it later. Tonks seeing Harry's over loaded plate as a challenge loaded her plate even more and dug in. Harry and Tonks spent the next half hour trying to one-up each other to the disgust of their new housemates. When the food was gone and desserts replaced the empty dishes, Harry and Tonks groaned but dug in just the same. Harry could only eat three pieces of cake while Tonks finished her fourth. Raising her arms in victory, she let out a very unladylike burp that made Hermione glared at her indignantly, while Harry said, "I bow to the victor, but this isn't over yet."

Harry and Tonks settled back into their chairs to easy their aching stomachs. Harry took the time study the High Table since he was no longer worried about Tonks. Hagrid was drinking heavily from his gigantic goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking with Professor Dumbledore. Professor Quirrell was nervously talking with a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.

It happened very suddenly. The greasy haired teacher looked away from Quirrell and straight into Harry's eyes. As their eyes met, Harry felt a sharp pinch between his eyes and caught a flicker of a woman with long dark red hair as pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.

"What's up, your stomach should hurt not your head after how much we just ate," Tonks said.

"Nothing."

The pain was gone as quickly as it had come. Harry leaned over to one of the older students and asked, "Who is that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?"

"That's Snape. He teaches potions, the great git. He's really mean. He wants to teach Defence. Quirrell should most likely watch his back for knives and other sharp objects," George said with a bit of a laugh.

Harry watched Professor Snape for a while hoping he could get another glimpse at that red hair woman. She looked so familiar but Harry could not remember having ever seen her before, and why would he have seen her in the first place.

"Ahem… Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered," came the voice of Dumbledore as he stood at his place at the High Table. "I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of out older students would do well to remember that as well," Dumbledore said as he look in the direction of the Weasley twins. "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Anyone interested in playing for their house Quidditch teams should contact their Head of House.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to those who do not wish to die a very painful death."

"He can't be serious?" Harry laughed.

"Must be," an older black girl sitting next to George, said, "He usually gives a reason why not to go somewhere. Not that it will stop these two."

"Now, off you go, you have a free day tomorrow before term starts. So I suggest you use it wisely."

The Gryffindors rose to exit the hall and Harry locked eyes with Fred. "We can spend tomorrow trying to perfect that switching spell so we can prank the Slytherin players."

Harry laughed, "Already planning your first prank of the year?"

"Maybe mate…" George responded.

"You will have…" Fred continued.

"To wait and see." George finished with a smirk.

"Harry, I am really tired can we get together tomorrow and explore the school so we know where stuff is?" Tonks asked sleepily.

The Gryffindor first years were lead out of the hall by Percy and up to the seventh floor. When they reached a large portrait of a very fat woman in a pink dress Percy addressed the first years, "This is the entrance to Gryffindor tower. The password is 'Caput Draconis'." After Percy said the password, the woman in the portrait curtsied and the portrait swung away from the wall. Percy lead them into the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, room full of squashy armchairs.

Percy directed the girls through the door on the left and the boys to the one on the right. Tonks gave Harry a little wave as she headed sleepily up to the girls dormitory.

Harry wasn't the least bit tired. Harry had found since the first night of play as a shadow that he didn't need to sleep unless he wanted to. However, the shear amount of chatter that Harry was hearing was giving him a headache, so he went up to the boys dormitory to lie on the bed and wait till everyone was asleep and then go exploring as a shadow.

When Harry got to the first year boys dorm room, he found his trunk at the end of a great four-poster with deep red, velvet curtains. Following close behind Harry were Ron and Neville. Harry went over to his trunk and pulled out his pyjamas.

"So what are your plans for tomorrow?" Ron asked of Neville and Harry.

"I thought I might go down and see about the green houses. I have always liked being in Gran's garden." Neville said as he pulled his pyjama top down.

"Tonks and I plan on doing a little exploring of the castle and see what we can find interesting."

"Cool, maybe if I hang around with Harry and Tonks we will become friends," came Ron's voice. However, Harry was looking right at Ron and his lips never moved. Getting a little spooked that he heard Ron when he was not talking, Harry quickly turned away and looked at Neville.

"Gryffindor? And the hat barely even touched my head. It can't be right. I'm not brave, am I?" Harry heard Neville say with his back to Harry.

"Well I think the hat looks at the inner you. So if it put you in Gryffindor so fast you must be brave and the hat can tell even if you can't, Nev." Harry said reassuringly.

"What? Thanks Harry. I was just thinking that the hat must have made a mistake but if you believe that the hat can see something I can't then I feel a little better," Neville said turning around to look at Harry.

Harry flopped on his bed and closed the hangings. 'Did Neville say that or did he think that? And Ron I know he didn't say those things. Am I reading peoples thoughts? That can't be good. A person's mind is private. However, I could use it to see if Tonks likes me. Still it wouldn't be fair to her.'

It was some time later that Harry peaked out of the hangings around his bed. Harry heard the sounds of deep breathing and snores from his fellow Gryffindors.

Harry quickly exited the dorm and headed down to the common room. Sitting in a chair in the corner was Hermione with her potions book. "I have to study, all these people grew up with magic and they will know more then me and I will look stupid. And Harry has all the books for all seven years. I'll never keep up."

"Hermione," Harry said in response to Hermione's frantic ravings. Hermione looked over to Harry. "Just don't forget to live. There is more to life then books and knowledge." Harry turned and made his way to the portrait hole.

"Where are you going?"

"Well I'm not tired and I wanted to do a little exploring."

"You will get in trouble if you are caught."

"Well then I will have to be careful not to get caught," Harry gave Hermione a wink and pushed out of the common room.

The darkness in the castle was perfect for Harry to go exploring in shadows. With only a few torches lit there wasn't a single place that Harry couldn't find and explore.

Harry started on the seventh floor and worked his way down. There were many hidden passages and secret doors. Travelling as a shadow gave Harry a natural advantage when finding secret paths. As Harry would approach a new passage or door, he would feel that the shadows moved beyond or through the hidden entrances.

It was in one of these passages that led from the fourth floor down to the entrance hall that Harry heard a set of voices.

"It would be nice to get all those slimy Slytherins," the first voice said.

Hiding in a particularly dark shadow, Harry snuck up on the pair of voices. As a shadow, Harry was basically invisible, a shadow moving in shadow.

It was Fred and George, and they were discussing a prank aimed at the Slytherins.

"Maybe a bit of localized transfiguration with a delay…" George said.

"We could set it up outside there common room. Then when they exit their common room it turns there robes bright pink and their hair purple," Fred added.

"Yea and if we set the delay right we can change them so that it changes them as they enter the Great Hall."

"That way the professors will think that the spell is on the Door to the Great Hall."

"So when do we do it. I think we should wait."

"Setting off a prank this early will point a glaring finger at us."

"How do we shift the blame? We are the only pranksters bold enough to pull stuff like this."

"Tonks fancies herself as a prankster. If we make it known that she and Harry are out to get some people we will at least have some deniability."

"Then we will have to start a very public prank war with Tonksie and Harrie"

"Public challenge?" Just then, a loud meow was heard. All three heads turn to the noise, to see a scrawny cat staring at the pair.

"Mrs. Norris, do thing I have a chance to kick her before Filch shows up."

"No let's move." Fred and George took off running back up to seventh floor.

Even though Harry was invisible, he did not wish to have a run in with any of the Hogwarts staff tonight. So as Fred and George ran off Harry concentrated on being out in front of the Gryffindor common room.

Just after he had faded out of shadows and gave the password to the portrait, Fred and George came around the bend and entered the portrait hole at a run. Seconds later, a man came wheezing around the corner.

"I'm telling you Harry you shouldn't be out in the halls at night," Fred said to Harry.

"Yea mate, it's against school rules," George said as the wheezing man came to a stop in front to the portrait hole.

"Good thing we stopped him from going out right Mr. Filch." Fred said turning to the man and putting on an innocent acts.

"Good work boys." Filch wheezed. "You best listen to these young lads. They'll steer ya right. They'll be prefects in a few years if they keep up the good behaviour."

"Mr. Filch you are too kind. We best be getting Harry back to bed now." George said as he led Harry down the portrait hole to the common room.

As soon as the portrait swung into place, Fred and George let out a cry of laughter. When Fred got his breathing back under control he turned to Harry and said, "Thanks mate for not ratting us out."

"Yea we got Filch wrapped around our finger." George continued.

"The man refuses to believe that we are the ones causing most of his troubles."

"Everyone else in the school knows that we a pair of merry pranksters…"

"But he refuses to believe that we are anything but saintly students."

"We plan on keeping it that way for as long as we can…"

"Eventually the man will wise up but we are going cause as much trouble until he does."

"So you act all sweet and innocent around him and he is none the wiser?" Harry asked not believing that these two could possible be fooling anyone into believing they are innocent.

"Yep," George said nodding his head vigorously.

"Any way it's not safe to go out there now. Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, is the one that spotted us." Fred said turning and guiding Harry toward the boys' dorms.

"I think she is out to catch us in the act to prove to Filch we aren't a saintly duo."

As the trio past the third year boys' dorm room, Fred and George bid Harry goodnight and headed on in. Harry continued up to the first year's dorm and straight to his bed. He wasn't tired but knew that it would be useless to head back out into the halls so he might as well sleep until morning.


	4. Book 1: Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **This is fan fiction people. We own none of this stuff.

**A/N: **I am looking for a beta to do a little proof-reading for me. Any volunteers just leave your name in the comments and I will get back to you. Chapter 3 and 4 were originally one chapter but I felt to much was happening for just one chapter so I split it into two smaller chapters. I have through chapter 8 written but I will be releasing it slowly so I can stay ahead. Hopefully my new classes will not get too much in the way and be able to keep up with writing. I will be continuing this story just I might have to take a small break to get a lot of writing done.

..oo0000oo..

_**Chapter 4**_

When Harry woke Sunday morning, it was to find the dorm room empty. Harry quickly climbed out of bed, grabbed his close for the day, and headed for the showers. When he later entered the common room, it was to see Hermione curled up in the same chair as last night while Tonks sat impatiently in the chair across from her.

Harry made his way over to the two girls and said, "Remember what I said last night Hermione… All work and no play will make Hermione a grumpy girl."

"Well said, Harry. Now lets go eat I'm starved," Tonks said bounding out of the chair and grabbing Harry's arm and pulling him to the portrait hole. Tonks was pulling Harry at such a fast pace that Harry could barely keep his feet under him.

As Tonks started pulling Harry down the stairs, Harry quickly said, "There is a secret path that leads down to the Entrance Hall just up a head. And maybe you can let me walk on my own instead of dragging me across the ground?"

"Oh, sorry," Tonks said quickly as she let go of his arm. "What path?" Looking around confused.

Harry led Tonks over to one of the paths he had found last night. "This wall is just like the platform at Kings' Cross, you just walk right through it."

Harry and Tonks stepped through it and found a very long and very steep staircase. As they began to walk down the steps Tonks asked, "And just how did you know this was here?"

"Well… I went exploring last night after you went up to bed."

"You were supposed to wait for me," Tonks stopped on the steps and looked at Harry with watery eyes.

Harry turned to Tonks to explain and when he met Tonks eyes he heard, "… ran off to have fun on his own the first chance …" Harry quickly looked away from Tonks.

"I'm sorry Tonks. I didn't run off to have fun on my own. It's just that I don't need sleep as much anymore. I guess since I can do my shadow thing I don't get tired. So when I was bored last night I went out as a shadow and looked around. I only got to about the fourth floor when I ran into Fred and George. Oh, by the way when Fred and George challenge us to a prank war, I think I have our first prank. Anyway, if you want we can explore more today and maybe you can come with me tonight to snoop around in shadows, I can usually bring stuff with me. Maybe I can take you too." Harry desperately looked back at Tonks to see if she was still upset.

"Don't lie to me. If you don't want to hang out with me just say so."

"Tonks, I like you. You are my best friend why wouldn't I want to hang out with you." Harry said a little frustrated at Tonks.

"OK, but you owe me one."

"Sure anything you want."

"Well…" Tonks said as she started walking again with a wicked grin. "I think I will wait until you owe me enough and then really cash in."

"What ever Tonks." Harry said as they continued down and into the Great Hall.

They found two open seats, sat down, and started to shovel breakfast onto their plates. While eating Fred and George entered the Great Hall, spotted Harry and Tonks, and rushed over to sit across from them. "Harry, Tonks…" George started.

"What are…" Fred continued.

"Your terms?"

"First, stop with the twin speak. Second, what are you talking about?" Tonks said quite annoyed with the way the twins were talking.

"Well Tonksie. We are talking about the terms of the challenge you made yesterday." George said.

"What challenge?"

"You challenged our pranking ability, we accepted, now we negotiate terms of said challenge," Fred stated in an overly official manner.

Tonks quick looked at Harry. He gave a little smile and turned to the twins, "I say we prank the other houses. No use getting caught in the crossfire of a prank."

"Deal. How do we determine when we have won?" Fred said.

"First one to get punished for a prank is the loser?" Harry said. All the while, Tonks sat stunned that Harry knew the twins would challenge them to a pranksters duel and that Harry seemed to have a plan to beat them at their own game.

"Deal. First to get punished for a prank loses and we don't prank Gryffindors." Fred said and stuck out his hand. Harry nodded and shook Fred's hand.

George suddenly jumped up on his seat and announced, "We have been challenged to a pranksters duel! Harry and Tonks vs. Fred and George! May the best twins win!"

"Was that wise?" Tonks asked of Fred.

Just as Tonks finished asking her question and George sat down, Harry quickly jumped up on he seat and said, "And we plan to strike first," and made a big show of sticking his tongue out at the twins. He sat back down and Tonks just stared at him.

The twins laughed and got up and left saying in their twin speak, "Definitely have to… watch that one… he's crafty… To bad… they are going to… lose."

After the twins were gone, Tonks looked at Harry and said angrily, "What are you doing? You except a challenge by two of the best pranksters the school has seen, and you tell the school we are going to strike first, guarantying that we will get blamed for the first prank and then lose.

"Tonks I have one question that might answer and solve all our problems." Harry said calmly. "Do you think you could make your self look like one of the twins?"

"Yea, the face and some of the body but not fully. Why?"

Harry just looked at Tonks and smiled. Tonks just sat and gapped at Harry until suddenly. "Oh," she said turning to a whisper, "we pull off pranks as Fred and George. You're brilliant." Harry's smile grew wider and he went back to finishing his breakfast.

"I told you I think I have our first prank too. We will have to sneak out tonight so we better get to know the secret passages today." Tonks smiled and turned back to her food and started eating at a disgustingly fast pace.

The rest of the day was spent sneaking around the dungeons and the corridors that Harry had not yet explored.

..oo0000oo..

As the day wound down, Harry and Tonks could be found in the Gryffindor common room. Harry playing a game of wizard's chess with Ron and Tonks lightly chatting with Hermione while watching the game, having finally convinced her to put her books down for a little while. Harry and Ron were in the middle of there third game of chess, Ron having dominated Harry in the first game but Harry pulling even with Ron after the second. Their current game had been raging for over two hours and it looked as if the game was going to continue that way until Harry worked Ron into a very sneaky trap and suddenly the pieces started flying and Ron's King lay down his crown.

"That was great. I thought after the first game you weren't going to be any good at this, and that second game was just a fluke, but you worked me into that trap and there was nothing I could do. Where did you learn to play like that?" Ron said with tremendous excitement at having a worth opponent for the first time in a long time.

"I never played before but I knew the rules. After the first game, it just all made sense that the pieces should move were I told them to. This game was fun because I could tell you knew what I was trying to do but couldn't fully fight it off," Harry responded putting his peaces away.

"Anyway, I'm going to bed. First day of classes tomorrow, don't want to be tired and fall asleep on the first day," Harry said standing up and pulling a fake yawn and stretch.

"Me to," said Tonks standing up.

"Well I'm just going to read for a little while longer, but I will go to bed in a little bit," Hermione said pulling out her Charms book.

"Oh no you don't, bed time for the book worm. If I leave you down here to read, this is where I will find you in the morning," Tonks said grabbing Hermione's arm and pulling her out of the chair and to the girls' dorm.

"All work and no sleep makes Hermione a sleepy head," Harry called after Tonks and Hermione as they entered their dorm.

Ron stretched and followed Harry up to the dorm. When inside Ron and Harry changed in silence and crawled into their beds. Some time later Ron's muffled snores could be heard so Harry as quietly as you could snuck out of bed and headed down to the common room. When he got there Tonks was already waiting for him in one of the squashy armchairs.

Upon seeing Harry, come out of the door to the boys' dorm Tonks stood and made her way out the portrait hole. As the pair made there way away from the fat lady, Harry said, "I think we should do some exploring and then make sure we are seen by one of the professors or Filch after we set our prank in motion. If it is Filch that sees us let me do the talking other wise run for it."

"OK, now let's see this shadow thingy you keep talking about." Tonks said as they entered one of the secret passages Harry had discover the previous night.

Harry concentrated on the shadows and slowly faded in to the darkness of the passage. "Wow, you just kind of faded away."

Harry slowly faded back out of the shadows. "I can travel in an instant, just like Apparating."

"Well, how am I going to sneak around with you if you are all shadowy?"

"I can try and take you with me. I can take things with me. It seems like if I am holding on to something and think of bringing it with me then it will become part of the my shadow."

"What does it feel like? Will it hurt?"

"I don't feel any difference. The first time I did it I didn't even know I had changed."

"OK, what do you need me to do?"

"Gimme your hands." Harry and Tonks held hands. Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on the shadows.

"It didn't work I can't see you but I can still see me," Tonks said disappointed.

Harry quickly turned back, "Well let me try again." This time Harry hugged Tonks and tried again.

"Did it work? I can't tell," Tonks said.

It was weird he heard Tonks ask him a question but not really. There was no sound but he could hear Tonks's voice. "Can you see yourself?"

"No, I can't see you either. Where did you go? I can tell you are right here by me but I can't see you," Tonks said as panic crept into her voice.

"Calm down Tonks. I am right here by you. I think we are communicating telepathically or something because I can hear you in my head but I can't hear the sound of your voice."

"This is so cool. Harry…" a panicking Tonks said, "I can't move. I am trying to move around in this dark passage but I can't move. Am I doing it wrong or something?"

Harry quickly tested to see if he could move. He quickly flew down to the end of the passage and back. "No I can move."

"That was you moving? All the sudden I was moving down to the end of this passage and just as quickly I was moving back, but it was like I wasn't in control."

"Yea, that was me. So… since maybe it is my ability I am the only one that can move us?"

"That makes sense. Well, we had better hurry up. I want you to show me all the secret passages you found last night and I want to go over the dungeons again to see if we missed anything. Plus I have to spend some time practicing looking like one of the twins. I have only looked like a boy once, it wasn't complete mind you, and it was hard to do."

Harry and Tonks set out. Harry first showed Tonks all the passages he had found the first night, they then retraced the exploring they did that day finding many more passages that were much easier to find now that they were in the shadows. One of the more interesting things they discover about the castle was that on each floor there was at least one passage or stairway that leads to all the other floors in the castle. This was a great thing to know because if they wherever running late for a class they could easily take the shortcut from the seventh floor to the dungeons or any other floor they needed and quickly get to where they needed to be. While touring around the castle they saw Professor McGonagall and many of the prefects out patrolling the halls.

At about 1:00am the pair found and empty classroom. Harry and Tonks entered and Harry concentrated on turning back to normal. As they faded back both Tonks and Harry noticed that they were hugging, both having forgotten that when they became a shadow Harry had been hugging Tonks then as well. They both jumped back looking at the floor and blushing.

Quickly to change the subject Harry said, "We better get to work on our changing into one of the twins."

"Oh yea." Tonks took a step back, closed her eyes, and concentrated on what the twins looked like and began changing her appearance.

As Tonks worked on her change, Harry did his as well. Harry quickly turned into a twin. "How do I look?" a very girly looking twin asked Harry.

"Not quite, you still look like a girl, but you got the red hair perfect. How about me?"

"Wow, you look like a perfect copy of the twins. Let me try again." For the next hour, Tonks perfected her look. Eventually they were a perfect copy of the twins.

When Tonks finally had the look down she said, "So what is this prank you have planned for us?"

"Well, when I was out exploring last night I passed by the twins while in the shadow and over heard them talking about a prank they planned on pulling on the Slytherins. They thought it was too soon to pull off the prank because they would definitely take the blame for it. That is why they challenged us to a prank duel that way they can hide behind the idea that we were the one to pull the prank. I don't think we can let that happen so I stole their idea and then we stole their identity so they can take the blame for our prank. What do you think?"

"I think it sounds great. So what was their prank?"

"Well they were going to put a jinx on the Slytherin common room exit so that when the Slytherins exit their common room it gets placed on them an then when after a while it changes the colour of their robes and hair. But I have a bit of a better idea."

"What?"

"Well I was thinking of changing them into salamanders or something, with a delay that the twins suggested. I learned how to change objects into animals from our forth year book. So I should be able to do the jinx."

"I don't know how to cast a jinx like that. I don't know much magic at all."

"Well… That will be even better. No one will be able to claim that we were the ones that cast the jinx."

"Are you sure you aren't a Slytherin?"

"Well the hat said I would be good anywhere but it did want to put me in Ravenclaw," Harry laughed.

Harry and Tonks as Fred and George snuck out of the classroom and down to the Great Hall. Not once did they see a teacher or a prefect on their way. After entering the Great Hall, Tonks took up guard duty as Harry went around to all the seats at the Slytherin table and tapped his wand on the seats.

"OK, all done now we should sneak back up to Gryffindor tower, not to fast. I think it might be a bit of an advantage if we are at least seen out in the halls as Fred and George."

Tonks nodded her head and they headed off back up the main stairs to Gryffindor tower. Just after they gave the password to the fat lady, around the corner came Professor McGonagall. Spotting the two Weasley twins, she hurried after them. As she entered the common room, all she found was two sleeping first years.

Waking over and tapping them on the shoulder she said, "Ms. Tonks, Mr. Potter. I suggest you sleep in your own beds. You will be much more relaxed and refreshed in the morning if you get a good night sleep in your bed then if you sleep in a chair all night." Tonks and Harry stood, stretched, and headed off to their dorms for the night. As Professor McGonagall turned and exited through the portrait hole determined to keep an eye out for strange happening involving the Weasley twins.


	5. Book 1: Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **This is fan fiction people. We own none of this stuff.

**A/N: **I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up. Real life caught up to me. So my original plan of a chapter every two weeks is not going to work. I will be continuing the story for as long as I can but I do not know how often I will be able to put out new chapters. Any way enjoy.

..oo0000oo..

_**Chapter 5**_

Harry found a packed common room when he arose the next morning. Apparently, everyone had made the subconscious decision to go down to breakfast together. Therefore, when Tonks and Harry proceeded out the portrait hole they were followed by the rest of Gryffindor tower. Upon entering the Great Hall Tonks and Harry took note of the packed Slytherin table.

Making sure, they had an excellent view of the Slytherins, Harry and Tonks sat and awaited breakfast to appear. After a few minuets of pointless morning chatter, breakfast appeared and everyone dug in. Harry had a bit of toast and eggs. As Harry was finishing up his eggs, suddenly about a hundred owls soared in through the high windows of the Great Hall. The owls circled the tables until they saw their owner and the swooped down to deliver packages and letters. As Harry was putting the last bite of egg in his mouth, Hedwig landed on his shoulder dropping a note into his lap. "Thanks, Hedwig," Harry said offering the last bit of toast to his owl. As Hedwig munched on the toast, Harry opened the note and read the untidy scrawl:

_Dear Harry,_

_I know you get Saturday afternoon off, so would you like to come around and have a cup of tea with me._

_I want to hear all about how your first week goes. Send us an answer with Hedwig._

_Hagrid_

Harry pulled out a quill and quickly wrote out his reply of, 'Yes, Please,' on the back of the note and handed back to Hedwig who took off back out the window.

After the post owls left Professor Dumbledore rose in his place at the High Table and said, "I have an announcement for you before the Professors come around with your class schedules for the year.

"Mr. Draco Malfoy, the first year that was not present for the sorting has been found. Some one had placed a sticking charm on his unconscious body, sticking him to the ceiling of the cargo hold on the Hogwarts express. Draco does not remember how he got stuck to there or how he was rendered unconscious. Due to his state, his parents felt that it best that he not attend Hogwarts. Therefore, Draco will be attending Durmstrang.

"Now, I wish you good luck this year in your classes."

As soon as Professor Dumbledore sat down the Heads of House approached their house tables to begin passing out schedules. However, before Professor McGonagall could hand out the first schedule a loud popping noise was heard and a burst of flames appeared at he Slytherin table.

Professor Snape was quick to react, he hurried over to the flames and a fountain of water shot from his wand. However, this did little, as the water evaporated doing nothing more then sending a cloud of steam into the air.

As Professor Snape tried to deal with the flames, another loud pop was heard followed by a burst of flames from the seat next to the first burning seat. By now, many of the Slytherin students were clambering to get away from the flames, when suddenly a tremendous pop was heard and all the Slytherin students disappeared in a burst of flames. Professor Snape quickly jumped away from the table and many of the Ravenclaws, whose table was closest to the Slytherin table, screamed and fled to the other side of the hall. All of the professors at this point rushed to the table to try to control the fire that was consuming all of the Slytherin table.

Nothing any of the professors tried worked. Suddenly a streak of fire could be seen extending from the fire. The streak suddenly shot up in the air and arched back to the table as Professor Dumbledore flicked his wand. "Place shields around the table. Let none of them out. There is nothing we can do until they burn themselves out," Professor Dumbledore called out. A dome suddenly appeared around all of the Slytherin table. "It is safe now. The flame will not harm you. However I do not suggest standing to close to the flames for they are still hot."

"What happened?" A older girl from Hufflepuff called out.

"It seems someone played a bit of a prank on the Slytherin House. All of the students have been transfigured into salamanders. However, the prankster did not realize that they would be magical salamanders, thus they burn any wood that they touch. The flame is relatively harmless to anything other then wood, however it is hotter than regular fire," Professor Dumbledore answered.

"Oh, you couldn't let us have the first prank. You just had strike the first blow. I see how it is going to be. Harry we are going to have to play dirty if we want to beat those two pranksters," Tonks yelled down the table at Fred and George. Harry did all he could not to laugh.

Professor McGonagall came sweeping back to the Gryffindor table pinning the twins to the spot with a glares.

"I told you we had to watch those two," George said turning to his brother.

"Yea, in less then twenty-four hours they plan, execute, and frame us for a prank," Fred responded.

"Are you saying that those two first years are responsible for this prank?" Professor McGonagall said without the least bit of belief in the twin's story.

"Yep that's our story," Fred responded.

"Not much else to say, other than we didn't do it," followed George.

"A weeks detention and 50 points each from Gryffindor." Professor McGonagall called.

"I guess they win," Fred said with a smile.

"They are good, and they are only firsties," George said shaking his head.

As the fire at the Slytherin table could only burn itself out the professors escorted all the students out of the Great Hall and passed out schedules. The day's classes continued went on with out the Slytherin house. Not a single Slytherin would be seen until dinner, sitting around a new table. And Fred and George could be seen roasting marshmallows at lunchtime over the smouldering Slytherins.

The excitement at breakfast was only the beginning of a very interesting day for Harry Potter. His first class was Herbology.

Professor Sprout was a squat little witch with flyaway grey hair. Professor Sprout's hands were stained with dirt and earth. She lead them into greenhouse one and started with a tour of the plants that were kept there. On one of the passes along the back wall, a large green mass of what looked like ivy covered the wall. As Professor Sprout stopped to show the class a tray of talking plant that were talking about the group of shrivel figs two rows over, the large ivy plant reached out, grabbed Tonks and Neville, and lifted them and pulled them into the rest of the mass of greenery covering the wall.

As Professor Sprout charged over to free her students, Harry joined her yelling, "Put them down, NOW!"

Tonks and Neville were unceremoniously dropped to the ground and the tendrils of ivy bowed in what could only be described as shame.

"Good. Don't do it again."

A tendril slowly extended and gave Harry a apologetic squeeze.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

Two tendrils slowly extended and helped Tonks and Neville up off the ground dusting them off when they were back to their feet.

"Very good, Ivy. Now you behave."

All the tendrils retreated back to the black mass and settled down.

Harry turned back to Professor Sprout, who just stared at Harry gobsmacked. "Right good…" For the rest of the class period Professor Sprout kept shooting glances at Harry as she finished her tour of the greenhouse.

On the way back up to Hogwarts after class, Harry was walking with Neville and Tonks. "It really is always going to be something with you isn't it? I'm not going to be able to take you anywhere with out you doing something impressively strange, am I?" Tonks said shaking her head but looking happy all the same.

"Yea mate. Thanks and all. But that was just plain weird," Neville said.

"Well I just reacted to it grabbing you. I didn't know it would actually listen to me," Harry said with a shrug.

"Well at least we know it will never be dull around you," Tonks said with a giggle and bump of her shoulder against his.

Things continued to be fun and entertaining in their next class as well.

The Charms classroom was on the third floor and was taught by a short little man, Professor Flitwick. Professor Flitwick you was a perpetually happy and jovial man.

Professor Flitwick dove right into teaching after calling the roll. Professor Flitwick gave a little demonstration by juggling, with his wand, giant pink bubbles that he made appear out of his wand, all while explaining that concentration and focus was the key skill needed to be able to perform well in his class. He had thirty-six pink bubble in the air when a loud boom was heard at the back of the room. Everyone's attention was drawn to the noise and Professor Flitwick dashed to the back of the room to see what the cause was. When nothing could be identified he slowly walked back to the front of the room when the class realized that the pink bubble where still being juggled at the front of the room with no one doing the juggling. Everyone turned to look at the laughing Professor Flitwick. "I love that trick."

After explaining the different charms used to pull off his little trick, he started them on the basics needed. They were starting with the flying charm. Professor gave them all a feather to fly. He described the wand movements and the words, and set them to the task of making the feather fly.

Harry had achieved the charm on his first try and earned Gryffindor 10 points. After awhile Harry got bored of making the feather fly around the room and decided, he was going to have a little fun.

Harry had been working next to Tonks. While Tonks's face was scrunched up for extra concentration, Harry gave his wand a little flick in her direction. Tonks suddenly floated off the ground not enough for her to realize what was happening. Soon Harry raised her a little farther off the ground. In frustration, Tonks took a step to turn to Harry and ask for some advice. Since Tonks was no longer touching the ground, her first step threw her off balance and she tripped. She braced herself to hit the floor. The impact never came. She suddenly realized she was floating off the ground she looked over at Harry and saw him giggling.

"Put me down now, Potter," she said in mild amusement.

Harry slowly lowered her back down to the ground. "What you don't like flying?" Harry said with a laugh.

"Urr…" Tonks growled at him and lept, prepared to tickle him.

As soon as Tonks left the ground, she stopped, floating in the air again. "Actually this is kind of fun."

Harry put her down and Tonks got a mischievous glint in her eye. While Professor Flitwick was on the other side of the room with his back to them helping a pair of Ravenclaws, Tonks climbed up on her desk gave Harry a wink and jumped off. Harry quickly flicked his wand at Tonks and she stopped in mid air. With another flick, she was flying around the room arms out stretched like she was a bird soaring on an air current.

Tonks was laughing like a hyena. With another flick, four pink bubbles popped out of Harry's wand and started circling Tonks. With one last flick, Tonks started doing flips inside the circling bubbles.

Professor Flitwick turned to see what was causing the commotion in his classroom. His eyes were drawn to the spectacle that had the class's attention. Professor Flitwick was to shocked do anything. When his senses came back to him, his eyes scanned the room to see which one of his students was demonstrating such excellent command of magic. The problem was that no one was showing signs of doing magic. "Who ever is making Miss Tonks fly around the room please put her down."

"Sorry, Professor. We got a little carried away," Harry said as he flicked his wand at Tonks. The bubbles vanished and Tonks slowly descended to stand next to Harry. The smile on Tonks's face was so big that her face was starting to hurt.

"That was an impressive bit of magic. Who taught you how to move the objects around while they were in the air?"

"No one sir. I just did it. I wanted them to move so they moved."

"Impressive," the bell ending class rang as Professor Flitwick looked at Harry sizing him up. "For those of you that did not get the charm to work, Practice. But please do not try to fly your friends around the room until you are sure you can do the charm correctly."

The class quickly packed up and filed for the door, it being the last class of the day. "Mr. Potter, Miss Tonks please stay behind for a moment," Professor Flitwick call before they could get out the door.

Harry immediately knowing that he was in trouble hung his head. Slowly walking to the professor's desk not daring to look up at Professor Flitwick. After everyone had filed out of the room, Harry quickly said, "I'm sorry professor. I just got bored floating the feather around so I floated Tonks off the ground and… well… I got cared away. It won't happen again."

"Harry that was a very impressive bit of magic you did, for a first year. Was that really the first time you did either or those charms or have you been practicing?" Flitwick asked with a big smile.

"Before school started I did float my book around my room. But it was the first time I floated a person. When Tonks jumped off the desk, I just reacted. I wasn't going to let her crash into the floor."

"Miss Tonks you jumped off the desk? Why?"

"Well… I knew Harry would catch me. I knew he wouldn't let me get hurt and I wanted to see what it would be like to fly," Tonks said to her feet.

"Impressive, impressive indeed. First, you are not in trouble. In fact, take 20 points for some of the most impressive spell work out of a first year I have ever seen. Second, even though you are not in trouble, please do not do anything like that in class again. I don't want the others getting ideas from you and trying foolish stunts and getting hurt in my class," Professor Flitwick said all the while grinning like a school kid. It was obvious that Flitwick was happy to have a student with such potential in his class that he would let some of the less harmful antics pass.

The next day continued the trend of interesting classes. Where the morning started out absolutely dull with a lecture in Defence Against the Dark Arts, that could have been made more exiting if Professor Quirrell had just told them to read the first chapter of there text book, class would have gone faster if he had as well.

Transfiguration was held after lunch. Tonks and Harry were running late for class since they had decided to have another eating contest, Harry winning just barely. The whole class was already seated even though class had not started. The only seats available were two seats in the front row next to a the teacher's desk were a tabby cat sat watching the class. Harry and Tonks took their seats and Harry looked at the cat closely.

The bell rang to start class but Professor McGonagall did not show. After five minutes the class started getting restless, suddenly Harry disappeared and in his place sat a tabby cat that looked almost identical to the cat sitting on the desk. The cat let out a loud meow and the class turned to see where Harry had been a minute ago. Suddenly the tabby sitting on the teacher's desk transformed into Professor McGonagall.

"I will be starting class now, Mr. Potter. If you would care to join us as a human again," Professor McGonagall said in a very stern voice, trying to hide a bit of amazement.

The cat was replaced with Harry again. "That was fun. Why didn't you tell me that wizards could change into cats," Harry said turning to Tonks.

"Mr. Potter, was that the first time you had changed into an animal?"

"Yes Ma'am." Harry said stiffly because of the stern voice Professor McGonagall was using.

"Why did you do it then?"

"Well when I walked in, I notice that the cat sitting there was not a normal cat, but it seemed familiar. So I figured it was you and when you didn't start class, right away I wanted to know why. So I changed into a cat as well so I could ask you."

"Are you saying to chose to be a cat only because I was a cat? Could you do other animals?"

Harry had disappeared again, in his place sat a large black dog, it barked and was suddenly replaced with a white owl, that hooted and changed into a white lion that let out a roar, and was replaced by a Gryphon with pure white feathers, it let our a screech and Harry sat his desk. Upon Harry's return, Professor McGonagall quickly sat down on the edge of her desk and just stared at the boy. "I guess so," Harry said.

"Again, there's always something. I am not even amazed any more. I think it would be more interesting if you didn't do something weird," Tonks said shaking her head and rolling her eyes in happy disbelief.

"Mr. Potter I would have said you were an Animagus like my self but an Animagus can only change into one mundane animal. You, however, changed into many animals and even a magical one at that. Do you posses any other abilities pertaining to transfiguring of yourself?"

Harry shot a glance at Tonks and quickly said, "No."

"In that case please stay after class I would like to talk to you then."

Harry nodded and Professor McGonagall turned to the rest of the class. "I had planed on surprising you with a bit of self transfiguration. However, that stunt backfired on me a bit. However…

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. …" Professor McGonagall then proceeded to give them a lecture on safety and lots of complicated notes, and then they were each given a match and instructed to turn it into a needle.

On Harry's first attempt, he turned his into an ornate ivory knitting needle. "Mr. Potter, what kind of needle is this?" Professor McGonagall said with a bit of a sigh.

"A knitting needle, Ma'am," Harry said with a small smirk.

"And why did you turn your needle into a knitting needle, and not into a simple sewing needle?"

"I felt that was too simple," Harry said, and then he blushed, "also I once saw a lady with a needle holding her hair up in a very pretty swirl. I thought it might look pretty in Tonks hair. I was going to give it to her as a Christmas gift if I was allowed to keep it."

"That is so sweet," Tonks said as she reached over, grabbed the needle and pulled her hair up in a swirl using the needle to keep it in place.

Professor McGonagall walked away shaking her head and said, "20 point to Gryffindor."

Harry spent the rest of the class time encouraging and giving Tonks pointer until she was able to change the match into a simple sewing needle minutes after Hermione changed hers into a knitting needle as well, although it was not as fancy and was only made of wood.

When the bell rang and the students started packing up their things Professor McGonagall called over them, "I want a foot of parchment on your thoughts on why Harry and Hermione were able to change there matches into knitting needles and not just sewing needles, due in one week. Harry, Hermione, you are exempt from this assignment. Harry, remember, I want a word with you."

Harry packed his bag and then sat in his seat waiting for the room to empty. He didn't think he had done anything to get himself into trouble like when he was playing around in charms.

When the room final emptied, Professor McGonagall addressed Harry, "Mr. Potter you have surprised me again… When I asked if you possessed any other abilities you were not truthful. Were you? So I will ask the question again, reminding you that anything you share with me will be between only us."

Harry looked down at his hands, "Well… I do have another ability but I really don't want to say."

"Mr. Potter, Harry, I am your head of house. I will not be gossiping about with your abilities. You can trust me."

"Well when I first met Tonks, I said something and she got sad and her hair changed colours. When I saw her hair change I tried to change mine as well and found out that we are both Metamorphmaguses."

"Metamorphmagi," Professor McGonagall said in both a shocked and correcting tone. "Professor Dumbledore warned us that you may be powerful, but this is something else. Mr. Potter, do you realize that no one has ever been known as both a Metamorphmagus and an Animagus. The two abilities were thought to be in opposition, that they could not both be possessed by one person… I believe that is why you are able to change into more than one animal, maybe any animal that you wish."

"Really, Tonks is right it is always something with me."

"Harry I would like to discuss this with the Headmaster if you will allow me."

"Why?" Harry said with a bit of a tremble in his voice.

"Well I would like to get you plenty of training in your abilities, plus as an Animagus you have to register with the Ministry of Magic, although I don't know how you are going to when you have more than one form, possibly infinite forms."

"Well… I would like to get training. I guess you can talk with the Headmaster but can we put off registering?"

"I will wait to see what the Headmaster says before we contact the Ministry, yes."

"Good, is there anything else you want to talk to me about?"

"Yes," Professor McGonagall said as sat up straighter and became more formal. "Your performance in class showed a exceptional ability in transfiguration, as well as when I visited you before classes started. I was hopping you would take me up on private lessons."

Harry sat and looked at Professor McGonagall and then looked down at his hands thinking.

"The lessons would be more advanced and I would teach you thing that you would not learn in the regular lessons," Professor McGonagall said trying to convince him.

"Thanks for the offer Professor but… I'm not a Ravenclaw. I don't want to spend all seven years deep in studying. I am a Gryffindor and crave adventure, excitement. Maybe later I will, but not now. I am however reading the fourth-year book. If I finish all seven years of school books and am still interested in learning more then can we have private lessons?"

Professor McGonagall could tell it would be pointless to argue with him, he was too young to realize that studying and learning are important. She was confused at how he only wanted to have fun and could not be bothered to do extra studying. "Yes, Harry. I am a bit disappointed, but if you continue to show the promise that I saw today, I will be available to help you learn when you are ready."

"Thanks, is there anything else we need to discuss?"

"No, Mr. Potter there is not, you may go." With that, Harry stood and left a confused Professor to her thoughts.

17


	6. Hiatus and update

A/N: I am currently dissatisfied with some parts of my story

**A/N: I am currently dissatisfied with some parts of my story. I am planning on taking what I have and reworking it. I do not plan on posting anything until I have at least the first book finished and the rest of the story line unknotted and figured out and set for what to do in later books. So what I plan on doing to appease the readers for now is to post what I have so far. So I apologies for any typing, grammatical, and spelling errors it may contain. Without further ado here is the story so far.**

**..oo0000oo..**

_**Chapter 6**_

The rest of the next couple days of classes went fairly smoothly. Wednesday's Herbology and Charms did not see any more odd events or spectacular stunts. That afternoon's History of Magic, with the Ravenclaws, was a very boring class, despite having a ghost for a teacher. Professor Binns had been the History of Magic Professor for the last two centuries, having died only eighty years ago.

Professor Binns did nothing but stand at his podium and read his notes in a dull monotone. By the end of the first 15 minutes, almost everyone but a few Ravenclaws and Hermione were sleeping, despite it being the first class and wanting to make a good impression.

However, the nap in History of Magic was a blessing, for later after dinner the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had Astronomy. The class was held up on the highest tower above the Hogwarts entrance. Class was not all that exciting but Harry without a doubt enjoyed the first class. They spent the first class sitting in beanbag chairs looking up at the stars as Professor Sinistra outlined the different constellations by shooting red sparks into the night sky. Harry found it oddly relaxing lying in his chair next to Tonks looking up at the night sky.

Thursday's Defense Against the Dark Arts was just as boring and uninteresting as it was on Tuesday, and Harry did not perform any stunts or odd feats in Transfiguration.

The week had gone enjoyably well until it came to Double Potions with the Slytherins. A whole day with the Slytherins. The class was held down in the Dungeons of the castle. So even though it was a warm late summer's day, the classroom had a disturbing chill.

When the class entered the dungeon, Professor Snape was carefully, poring a clear liquid in several glass bottle and placing them in a cupboard behind the teacher's desk. As the class sat down he locked the cupboard with a wave of his wand, added a drop of red liquid to the remaining potion, turned, and sat at his desk.

Professor Snape started class by calling the roll, when he got to Harry's name he paused and said, "Ah, Yes… The Harry Potter. Our new… Celebrity."

Many of the Slytherins sniggered behind their hands. Harry however did not care if they laughed or not. He had already got one over on all the Slytherins.

Professor Snape finished calling the roll and looked up at the class. His eyes scanned the students. When Snape's eyes scanned, they locked momentarily and Harry felt the pinch between his eyes and saw the pretty woman with red hair, just like last time he met Professor Snape eyes. Professor Snape did not keep contact for long. After he finished looking over his class, he started in with his opening speech in a condescending drawl one would use to confuse their listener.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. There is little foolish wand waving here. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death. If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Snape's voice was barely a whisper, and the loathing that was so palpable that is was clear to everyone in the room that he hated every one of them.

When his voice got even colder, many of the Gryffindors shivered while the Slytherins smirked. "Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand shot up in the air while Harry smiled he had read this particular mixer just yesterday in his fourth year textbook. Harry hoped that answering this question would show that he was not a 'Dunderhead'. He said, "The Draught of Living Death, a class 2 potion that would put the drinker in a sleep so deep that one thinks the drinker dead. I also believe that it was this potion used in fake Romeo's death in Romeo and Juliet."

Snape's face was expressionless, "I asked for the name only. There is no need to show off in my class. I will not be awarding points for cockiness like the other teachers.

"Let's try again, Potter." Snape leveled his gaze at Harry. Harry met his gaze and looked into the emotionless pools of black that Snape called his eyes. "Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Harry was a bit angry at being called cocky. Refusing to break the staring competition the older man had started, Harry answered, "At an apothecary, unless you had a goat you were willing to kill to remove the stone from its stomach."

"5 point from Gryffindor. I will not tolerate cheek in my classroom, Potter."

Harry felt the pinch again. Harry did not care about the lose of points. This professor obviously hated him for some reason, so Harry was going to hate him right back.

"Last chance for a civilized answer, Potter. What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"Spelling."

"10 points from Gryffindor for cheek Potter." Snape broke his gaze away from Harry and went on with his condescending lecture.

Things did not improve for the Gryffindors as class stretched on. After about a half hour of Snape telling them that he did not believe they had the skill or the brains to fully succeed in the class, he set them to task on making a potion Harry had read in his third year book, giving them no instructions other then the ingredients and the brewing recipe.

Snape swept around the room sneering and criticizing the Gryffindors' potions, while praising the Slytherins' poor attempts. Harry was spared any more interaction with the professor, as on Snape's first circuit of the room he could find no fault in Harry's work and certainly was not going to be receiving praise.

With less then an hour left in class, Harry was adding the last ingredient and had only to keep a constant slow stirring for the next ten minutes to be finished. When suddenly, Neville gave a frustrated grunt as his cauldron melted and the contents spilled out and ran across the floor. As the liquid approached Ron's cauldron that was bubbling an angry red Harry immediately realized what was going to happen.

"Everybody down!" he yelled to the class as he grabbed Tonks's shoulders and threw them both to the ground. Most of the class acted instinctually, for when someone says 'Everybody down!' you throw yourself at the ground. However, Ron and Neville were too stunned by Ron's melting cauldron, and a pair of incredibly stupid looking Slytherins directly behind them did not hit the floor.

As Ron's cauldron melted, the contents spilled out and mixed with Neville's concoction that was covering the floor and in a violent explosion, a sickly yellow mess sprayed the surrounding area covering the four boys in the muck.

Shrieks of pain followed from the boys, as they broke out in angry red boils wherever the muck made contact with their skin.

Thinking quickly Harry pulled his wand and vanished the offending concoction before it could do any more damage as Snape swept over. "You two take them to the Hospital wing." He snapped at Hermione and Tonks who were trying to calm and sooth Ron and Neville.

As the six student exited the class, Snape rounded on Harry, "10 points from Gryffindor. Tell me, Potter. You obviously knew what was going to happen so why did you let the fools mix the offending substance in the first place. Another 20 points from Gryffindor for failure to prevent your fellow house mated from harming others." Snape spun on his heals and marched to the front of the class.

This was so unfair. Harry opened his mouth to snap back at Snape when a hand grabbed his elbow. A dirty blond haired Gryffindor girl said to him, "It's bad enough already don't lose us anymore points."

An hour later after turning in his potion and exiting the dungeon. Harry was in a towering rage. 'How could one man be that big of a git? How was I supposed to know that Neville's cauldron would melt the two cauldrons and that the resulting mix would form bubotuber puss?'

Harry was in no mood to go exploring that night reading his textbooks, save his potions books.

When Tonks was too sleepy to stay up and read with Harry any more she stood, stretched and said, "Neville and Ron are, OK… Snape is a great git and there is nothing you can do about it so cheer up. We learn to fly tomorrow!"

..oo0000oo..

"This is going to be so much fun," Ron said after breakfast the next morning while on the walk down to the Quidditch pitch. Ron and Neville had spent the night in hospital wing re-growing patches of skin that had been burned by the puss. However, this morning he was in a good mood because they were going to learn to fly brooms.

Harry was a little nervous about this. He wanted to learn how to fly a broom but was afraid to make a complete prat of himself in front of the rest of the first years. He was already a bit on the out with the Gryffindors for being apart of losing almost 50 points in one class after Fred and George had lost them 100 points earlier in the week.

Tonks was not all that into flying but still wanted to give it a shot. However, Neville and Hermione were in a state of panic. Hermione had spent the night reading any book she could find on flying, including Harry's book on magical travel, for any tips she could get on learning how to fly. She was now reciting all that she had gleaned the night before, while Neville listened trying to get any tips he could.

Harry and his group where the last to arrive. Everyone just hung around the thirty broomsticks on the ground and looked nervous while they waited for their teacher, Madam Hooch, to arrive.

When Madam Hooch finally arrive, it was very impressive. She swooped down on them from above coming in at an incredible speed to touch down and quickly walk over to her students as smoothly as could be.

Madam Hooch had short gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. "Well what are you all waiting for? Stand by a broomstick, let's go, let's go, hurry up," she barked and everyone scrambled to get near a broom.

Harry and his friends found brooms near the back of the group. Harry looked at his broom. It was an old broom, it was missing clumps of twigs and its handle was well warn from use.

"Stick out your wand hand, over the broom, and say 'UP!'," Madam Hooch instructed.

"Up" was the collective cry from the students.

Harry's broom jumped from the ground, into his hand and vibrated as if eager to get into the air. Tonks's broom floated up to her hand easily. Ron's broom jumped with almost as much enthusiasm as Harry's broom. Hermione's made a odd twitching and rolled over. Neville's broom did nothing.

Madam hooch came around and helped those who had trouble getting their broom off the ground. Harry's broom simply twitched with excitement.

When everyone had their brooms off the ground, she showed them how to mount their broom properly. However, while Madam Hooch worked with a set of stubborn Ravenclaws at the front of the group, Neville managed to lift off the ground. Neville panicked, which was the worst thing he could do.

His broom shot up into the air. Neville's face was frozen in a silent scream as he tried to get his broom back to the ground, but he had no clue how to control this thing that seemed to want to take him on a aerial tour of Hogwarts castle.

With out thinking, and with the help of his all too willing broom, Harry shot up in the air to try and help Neville.

Neville had a death grip on his broom, which seemed to offend the broom as it dived and swerved in wide arks trying to dislodge its rider. As Harry approached Neville's wild ride, the broom made a fast dive at the side of the castle. This maneuver finally frightened Neville to the point that he let out a loud scream and released the broom to cover his face with his arms. This release was exactly what the broom was looking for as it made a sharp jump up wards and then quickly dove out from under Neville.

Harry was following behind Neville as close as he could since the broom had been making some very erratic moves. When Harry spotted the broom quickly flying away with out a rider he new he had to act quickly, for Neville was in a free falling ark that could only end in death for his friend.

Harry flattened himself on his broom in a steep dive that had him on a collision course with Neville as he fell from the sky. About ten feet from the ground, they collided. Harry was flying so that the impact would be to Harry's right side. Upon impact, Harry's arm clamped on to Neville as he pulled his broom to the side to fly parallel to the ground.

Neville was screaming in Harry's ear as he approached the group of first years that had watched the aerial excitement. About twenty feet from the group Harry released Neville and he landed on the ground and tumbled to the ground as Harry slowed and stopped a few feet later and dismounted from his broom.

Harry quickly rushed back to his friend. Neville righted himself and sat on the ground. He looked so relieved to be back on the ground again while clutching his wrist.

"HARRY POTTER!"

His heart sank faster than his dive. Professor McGonagall was running toward them as Madam Hooch landed next to them quickly crouching down to check Neville.

"Never… in all my time at Hogwarts…" Professor McGonagall was almost speechless, as she clutched her heart. "What… Why…"

"We had just mounted our brooms. Neville lost control of his broom and it took off with him on it. I just had to go and try to help," Harry quickly responded to her stuttered questions.

"Minerva, I have to take him to the hospital wing. Broken wrist." Madam Hooch said as she dragged Neville to his feet and led him off to the castle.

"Everyone stay here and do not touch an of the brooms. Any one else in the air will find them on themselves on the train, expelled from Hogwarts! Potter with me!" With that, Professor McGonagall swept back to the castle hardly giving him a second glance.

Professor McGonagall was moving along at such a pace that Harry had to jog to keep up with her. Harry's mind was a bit numb, he had just gotten off his broom after his first ride ever, during which he had to save a friend's life by basically throwing himself at the ground with the help of a broom. The adrenalin of the ride was starting to ware off, and he was starting to realize, '… that while the ride was scary. I was scared more of the fact that Neville was falling to his death."

As Professor McGonagall marched them up the steps and down a corridor, Harry noticed that he still had his broom in his hand. The broom still vibrated like it was itching to get back out and fly or was that him just wanting to get out there at go for a ride again.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and stepped just inside the door. "Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

'Wood? I can't be in trouble can I? I saved Neville's life. She isn't going to cane me is she?' Harry thought.

However, Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth year boy. Wood exited Professor Flitwick's class confused.

"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall and they march on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry with the vibrating broom in his hand. "In here."

She slammed the door behind the two boys and turned to face them. "Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood… I have found a new Quidditch player for you."

Wood's face changed little. "Are you serious, Professor? He's a first year…"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall abuzz with excitement. "He's a natural flier. And a daredevil on a broom. Was that your first time on a broom, Harry?"

Harry nodded silently. He had no clue what was going on and whole-heartedly wished someone would explain it to him.

"He caught Mr. Longbottom after he fell off his broom at about fifty feet. Mr. Longbottom suffered a broken wrist when he stumbled after Harry set him down on the ground."

Wood looked at Harry in wonder. "Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked.

Harry shook his head.

"He's build like a Seeker but with moves like those he could be one darn good chaser." Wood was circling Harry sizing him up. "We'll have to get him a decent broom, a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven. Then I'll take him out and see what he can do and where he'll fit in."

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year." Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.

"We should keep this quiet, spring it on the Slytherins in the first match."

"Your father would have been proud," she said. "Risking your life for a friend and while on a broom too. He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

_**Chapter 7**_

When Harry was finally released by Professor McGonagall and Wood, it was time for tea with Hagrid. Tonks and Harry approached Hagrid's hut. Tonks wasn't even surprised that Harry was going to be on the Quidditch team. She had quickly gotten used to Harry doing things a little differently then others to tremendously interesting results.

Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door.

When Harry knocked, they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice yelling, "Back, Fang… Back."

Hagrid's big hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.

Somehow, an enormous black boarhound forced the door open and leaped out the door onto Tonks knocking her to the ground.

The dog quickly sat down on top of her licking her face and drooling all over.

"Ok, Ok. Yea I love you too. Now get off of me!" Tonks splutter as she tried to get the Dog that was bigger than she was off of herself.

Hagrid quickly stepped out side, grabbed the Dog's collar, and pulled the dog back into the house with the two student joining him. "Fang's 'armless. Now make yerselves at home," Hagrid said letting go of Fang who bounded over to Tonks and tried to knock her to the ground again. Fortunately she fell into a chair and Fang resigned himself to only having his head in her lap as she scratched his ears while he drooled all over her robes.

"This is Tonks," Harry told Hagrid as he put the kettle on to make tea.

"Yea, Andi and Ted's lil girl," Hagrid said as he put a plate of rock cakes onto the table.

Harry and Tonks spent the time telling Hagrid about there first week at school. Hagrid was dead impressed when he heard Harry had changed into a Gryphon.

"… An' Filch don't trust them Weasley's no mo' after that flame up they did on the Slytherins. Spent hours cleanin' the ash up after that lot." To which Harry gave a wicked smile.

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like lavender said the he should try his best not to lose any more points by just ignoring him.

"But he seemed to really hate me."

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

Yet Harry could not help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes when he said that. Hagrid quickly told Harry that he wanted to show Harry his growing pumpkin patch.

As Harry and Hagrid stood up to go out side, Harry's eye caught a cutting from the Daily Prophet:

**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

Investigation continues into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be work of Dark wizards or witches unknown. Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.

"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you said a Gringotts spokes-goblin this afternoon.

"It's a good thing you emptied that vault when you did, right Hagrid," Harry said pointing to the article.

Hagrid tried not to meet Harry's eye but for a split second he did and Harry got a flash of a room with a trap door in it as Hagrid turned away and said, "Yep" leading them out of the hut.

Harry and Tonks were treated to a tour through the massive pumpkin patch but did not stay long after that, since Tonks kept complaining she was hungry and it was time to for dinner.

On the way back up to the castle for dinner, the image of the room with a trap door in it was forgotten, as all Harry could thing about was Quidditch.

..oo0000oo..

By the end of the second week of class, Harry had almost earned back all the points he had lost in Snape's class and those lost due to his prank on the Slytherins.

Fred and George took their lose of their pranksters duel well. Despite the week of detentions, they had to spend with Filch, who no longer thought them the saintly angles they weren't. The fact that Fred and George took their lose so well made Tonks a little paranoid. She believed that they were bound to seek some form a retaliation.

However, Harry was too preoccupied with his upcoming Quidditch tryout to be worrying about Fed and George, besides Fred and George were on the Gryffindor Quidditch team they wouldn't prank their own teammate, would they?

During breakfast on Friday with the arrival of the mail, everyone's attention was drawn to six large screech owls carrying a large package between them. The owls were following Hedwig as she circled looking for Harry. When she swooped down, they followed to deposit their delivery to Harry when Hedwig landed on Harry's shoulder presenting her leg for him to take her letter. When Harry removed the letter, she quickly jumped to sit on the package haughtily guarding it for her master.

Harry ripped open the letter first, realizing that he was supposed to read the letter first before opening the package.

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand. In keeping with the strategy of hiding our new Quidditch player, we do not want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch pitch at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Professor McGonagall

A wide grin spread across his face as he read the note. He quickly handed the note to Tonks while he grabbed the package and headed back up to Gryffindor Tower to stow his new broom for later inspection before class, since Snape would be all to willing to dock Harry points for being late. Harry hid the package out of site under his bed before quickly turning and racing back down to the Great Hall to gather his things for potions.

The broom provided an extra distraction form Snape's spiteful comments to Harry all though potions class. Despite Snape hovering around Harry just looking for a reason to dock Harry points or disrupt his potions work, Harry managed to brew a perfect boil cure-potion, to replenish the schools stock that was depleted curing Ron, Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.

As soon as class was dismissed, Harry raced up to Gryffindor to look at his new broom. A half hour after dinner after sneaking out of the tower and down to the Quidditch pitch with Ron and Tonks in tow, Harry was flying laps around the pitch on his new broom.

'This broom is vibrating as well. It must be the way brooms are,' Harry thought to himself as he did a barrel role into a free fall dive and pulled up at the last moment.

Little did Harry know but while Harry was 'flying', more like throwing himself at the ground and just happening to miss, Oliver Wood arrived at the pitch. He stood out of site and watched the daredevil of a first year do things on a broom no sane or even stunt flyer would try, let alone do just to have fun.

The whole while Wood was watching Harry he had a smile on his face. Suddenly his eyes widened with a bright idea. Putting down the large crate he had brought out to the pitch with him, he dug around in his pockets and brought out a quill. He quickly transfigured the quill into a small ball.

"Oi, Potter. Think fast," and with that he hurdled the ball as hard as he could down the pitch away from Harry.

Harry came to a stop in air, turn to see who had shouted at him. As he turned, he spotted the small ball flying through the air down the pitch. The shout instantly registered with him and flattened himself to his broom shooting off in the direction of the ball.

When the ball reached its apex and started falling Harry began his own quick descent trying to reach the ball before it reached the ground. Harry looked as if he was going to come up short as the ball was falling just a bit to fast for him.

Harry was about a foot away from the ball but if he didn't do something drastic he was not going to be able to catch it. Suddenly Harry jumped from his broom, giving himself that little extra boost he needed to get under the ball.

Once Harry closed his hand on the ball, he tucked into a ball himself and rolled onto the grass and stopped a few feet later. Harry quickly got his bearings and stood up as his broom drifted over to him while Oliver Wood came sauntering over clutching his sides in laughter.

"I should have known, McGonagall doesn't exaggerate but she really understated your daring on a broom. I don't know anyone that would jump from a moving broom after the dive you just pulled off," Oliver said with a big smile on his face.

"Why did you throw this?" Harry asked giving him back the ball he worked so hard to catch.

"Well I have been watching you a while. You fly like a crazed Seeker, so I had to see if you could catch like one."

"Yea, well…"

"You've never seen a Quidditch game have you, Potter?" Harry just shook his head and Oliver led him over to the crate.

"There's no need to have you try out now. You will be our Seeker."

"What's a Seeker?" Harry asked.

"I'll explain that in a minute but first let me give you the other positions." Oliver kicked open the crate and inside were fore different sized balls.

"Quidditch is easy to follow. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers. They play with this ball," Oliver took out a ball the size of a football. "This is called the Quaffle. The Chasers throw it to each other and try to get it through one of the hoops to score a goal." Oliver pointed the set of three hoops at each end.

"Sort of like basketball on broomsticks," Harry said with a chuckle.

"What's basketball?"

"Never mind."

"Then there is the Keeper, I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. The Keeper plays with the Quaffle as well. He guards the hoops and stops the other team from scoring."

"Like a Goalie," Harry said to himself.

"Now we have the Bludgers. They try to… Well I think their name says it for them. They try to bludgeon everyone."

Harry looked at Oliver with confusion.

"Here take this." Oliver said as he handed Harry a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat. "I think a practical demonstration is needed."

Oliver reached into the crate. Two iron balls the size of the Quaffle were struggling to get out of the straps that were holding them inside the box. "I'm going to let one of them out so you can see what they do."

Oliver undid the straps holding one of the balls in the crate and quickly dove out of the way as it shot out of the create and at his face. Narrowing missing Oliver, it shot at Harry who was standing behind him.

The Bludger came pelting at his face. Acting on instinct Harry swung the bat at the offending ball sending it zigzagging away. The ball zoomed around for a moment finding no one else to hit it came zooming back at Harry. Again, on instinct Harry raised the bat and with a chopping motion sent the ball careening into the ground at his feet.

With a mighty thump, the ball was driven a few inches into the ground. However, the ball just sat there in the ground.

"Umm, OK." Oliver said coming over to the immobile ball. "Did you kill it?"

Harry carefully poked at it with the bat. The ball twitched for a moment and then was still.

"I think you knocked it out," Oliver said. He quickly picked the ball back up and put back into its straps in the crate. "That is some skill with a Beaters Bat. It's usually the Weasley twins' job to handle the Bludgers. But I doubt that Bludger will ever come anywhere near you again," Oliver said with a chuckle.

"Lastly we have the Golden Snitch. This is the most important ball of the game." Oliver turned around holding a ball the size of a walnut. "The game doesn't end until a Seeker catches this ball. This little thing is fast. It is the Seekers job to weave in and out of all the other players and catch the Snitch. The Seeker that catches the Snitch earns their team an extra 150 points, which nearly always wins the game for their team.

"Any questions?"

Harry shook his head.

"It's to dark to practice with the Snitch so I think we will call it a night. I will tell you when we will have regular practices, so you can meet the rest of the team."

Oliver packed the Snitch back in the crate with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, one of them still unconscious.

"I'm going to stay out for a little while longer. Tonks and Ron want a go on my broom." Oliver carted the crate back up to the castle as Tonks and Ron came over.

An hour later, after Tonks and Ron had a go one Harry's broom the trio walked back up to the castle.

"Damn, it's past curfew," Ron said looking at his watch. "We have to get up to the tower before we are caught out after curfew."

Not wanting to give away their secret passages unless they had to Tonks and Harry followed Ron up the main stares. Everything was fine until suddenly they heard it.

"Meow!"

"Mrs. Norris," Harry said looking up in the direction the noise came. Sitting at the top of the stares to the next floor sat Mrs. Norris. And where you find Mrs. Norris, you find Filch not far behind. "This way!" Harry quickly led Ron down the adjacent corridor to one of the secret passage that led up to the sixth floor.

The moment they opened the door and started into the passage they heard pounding feet. Just their luck, the only passage with in running distance and Filch is using it to cut them off.

"Run!" Tonks shouted.

Turning around and fleeing the passageway. They couldn't head back the way they had come and the other way was a dead end. Thinking quickly Ron wrenched open the door across the way from where they had just exited. The trio quickly piled in and closed the door.

"We've got to get past Filch and Mrs. Norris," Ron said with his ear pressed against the door.

"Thank you Captain Obvious, you have saved the day again. How can we ever repay you," Tonks said waspishly.

"Guys!" Harry said but Ron and Tonks were to busy arguing to listen.

"Shh Tonks, Filch will hear us," Ron said.

"How long do you think we have to wait before it's safe to go back out into the hall?" Tonks asked.

Suddenly there was an incredible booming bark behind them the pair of arguing students. Tonks and Ron turned on their heals so quickly that they resemble a pair of tops. The first bark was followed quickly by two quick barks just as loud as the first and the sound of loud sniffing noises.

Tonks and Ron tried to back up quickly but came in contact with the door they had come through. Tonks tried to scream but her voice was frozen with fear by the site of two large black dogs, almost twice as big as Fang, both with three heads, one of which was growling viciously at the other as the other stood with its back to the duo.

Before either Tonks's or Ron's brains engaged, the dog with its back to them let out a quick bark. The other prowled closer to the pair, gave an almighty sniff, and then let out a happy bark. At the sign of approval, the second dog came over and one of its heads tilted down and gave Tonks a playful lick with its massive tongue that lifted her off her feet.

"What is it with me and dogs? I mean come on," Tonks said as the first dog ran across the large room.

"Uh… Tonks where's Harry?" Ron said nervously. "I know he came in here. He was the first one to enter the room.

The second dog let out a happy bark and playfully head butted Ron with its middle head as its left head continued to lick and drool all over Tonks.

The Fist dog quickly returned with a Quaffle sized ball in one of its mouths and a length of rope in another. It quickly dropped the chew toy in front of the other dog and the ball in front of Ron.

The second dog stopped drooling on Tonks, attacked the rope with two of its three heads while the first dog jumped up, and put its massive paws on Ron's shoulders driving him to his knees and let out a short bark.

"I think it wants to play Ron," Tonks said. "Why don't you play fetch with the thing while I look for Harry?"

"Hu huk fo mu? Um rugh hur," Harry said. He then spit out the rope in his mouth and said. "Why look for me? I'm right here. He wants to play Ron he hasn't had anyone to play fetch with in a while. Just through the ball for him."

"Right," Ron said looking confused but throwing the ball to the other side of the room.

"So you were the other dog?" Tonks said.

"Yea, and I can see why Fang likes you. It sure is fun to drool over you," Harry said with a smile.

"So what is this dog doing here?"

"I don't know," Harry said as he watched Ron get bowled over by the dog returning the thrown ball. "When we showed up he growled at me, 'None shall pass!'. When I turned into a dog like him he asked me if I was sent by Hagrid and I told him we were friends of Hagrid so he sniffed you and said something about Fang and ran off to get his ball."

"I wonder what he is doing in here it can't be fun being stuck in side with no one to play with."

Suddenly there was a loud meow at the door. Tonks and Harry froze. Filch's voice could be heard through the door. "Don't worry, my sweet. If the brats went in there that filthy beast will eat them and good riddance to nasty students."

The trio stood on the other side of the door holding their breath hoping Filch would just go away. As time moved on and the door never moved they had to assume that Filch moved on to check other part of the school for students out of bed to yell at.

"Well let's explore this room a little while Ron play's with the dog," Tonks said after a while.

"Fluffy," Harry said.

"What?" Ron and Tonks said together.

"The dog's name is Fluffy. I saw it on his collar when I first saw him."

"Fluffy, who names a dog like that Fluffy?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. But I really want to know what he's doing in here."

The room gave away no clues all that it contained was the dog, its bed, some dog toys, a large bowl of water and food, and some old issues of the Daily Prophet lay out on the floor in one of the corners. Ron went and played with Fluffy while Harry and Tonks explored the room but finding nothing.

After playing with the dog of a while Ron, Tonks, and Harry left promising the dog to come back and play some time. This time they did not run into Filch on their return to Gryffindor tower. Exhausted from the Quidditch and their escape the trio said good night and went to bed. Harry lost in his thoughts of why Fluffy was in the castle and not out side with Fang and Hagrid.

_**Chapter 8**_

It turns out Ron took a real shine to Fluffy. Where Ron's rat was fat and lazy and did nothing but sleep at the foot of his bed under the blankets, Fluffy was a young excited dog that was starved for attention which Ron was all to happy to give. It was a regular occurrence that Ron would sneak out of the common room at night to go play with Fluffy for a few hours before bed.

This incensed Hermione the night she caught Ron on his way out the door. Ron and Hermione rowed for a half hour when Ron refused to tell the noisy girl what was so important that we would risk losing points. Neither Ron nor Harry and Tonks were able to sneak out that night as Hermione sat up in the common room watching the door well into the night.

As a result of Hermione's nightly vigils in the common room, Ron was not able to get out and play with Fluffy. Hence, a week before _Hallowe'en_ after Transfiguration Ron found Harry to ask him for a favor.

"Harry mate," Ron said catching up to Harry and Tonks as they exited the classroom. "I need to ask you a favor."

"What do you need Ron," Harry said casually.

"Not here," Ron said leading Harry and Tonks to an out of the way niche and lowering his voice. "I need help with Fluffy."

"I am not cleaning up after him. A Dog that size must leave quite a mess," Tonks said plugging her nose.

"No. Nothing like that. I want to take Fluffy outside so he can get some fresh air and really run around."

"So what do you need from me? If you want to sneak him out I know a couple of hidden passages that might help you out," Harry offered.

"No. Well… the passages will help but I need a stand in and since you can turn into a dog like him I was hoping you could stay there in case anyone decides to check on him or something."

"Good thinking. When were you planning on taking him out?"

"I was thinking tonight. We could hide out in the library and say we were working on Snape's essay. That should keep the know-it-all off our backs."

"Ok I'm in. There's no Quidditch practice tonight so I am free."

"Tonks can you help me get Fluffy out of the castle tonight? I know you and Harry know all the short cut around here. It will really help," Ron asked with a pleading look to Tonks.

"Fine, but no drooling on Tonks. These are my only pair of clean robes. Fang drooled all over me the other day," Tonks said as she hit Harry for laughing at the memory of Tonks getting bowled over by a drooling Fang.

That evening Harry, Ron, and Tonks sat in the library pretending to work on their Potion's essays. They waited until the library had closed and the torches were lit to sneak to the third floor and into Fluffy's room. Upon entering Fluffy gave an excited bark and scrambled over to Ron knocking him down and licking his face.

"Yea, boy I missed you to," Ron laughed as he tried to push Fluffy off. When Ron finally got to his feet he started scratching behind the ears of two of the heads and saying, "We are going to go outside tonight. You want to go outside? Let's go outside."

After a few more moments of giving each head plenty of attention, Ron turned to Harry and said, "Are you ready?"

Harry instantly turned into his three headed dog form and leaning into Tonks. Tonks just rolled her eyes and scratched behind the ears of the closest head. While Tonks scratched Harry's back leg wagged, as all properly scratched dogs do. "Big baby!" Tonks said with a roll of her eyes when she spotted his leg.

"Come on Ron, the safest rout is going to be to go down to the second floor and then use the secret passage that comes out into the entrance hall. We'll be back in about an hour," Tonks said to Harry as they left.

Harry looked around the room. There really wasn't much to do in here. It was no wonder that Ron wanted to take Fluffy outside.

Harry decided he would make the best of it and see what it really was like to be a dog. He proceeded to play with the chew toys. He immensely enjoyed the tug of wars he could have between his heads. After while he moved on to the ball. He found it the most fun if he tried to pounce on the ball and try to flatten it and chasing after it when it squirted out from under his paws.

After about a good half hour of playing with the toys and such he was tired and decided to have a lie down and wait for his friends return. Harry sat in Fluffy's bed of blankets. However, no matter how Harry tried to lie down he couldn't get comfortable. There was something under his blankets that was preventing him from getting comfortable.

After a few minutes of trying to ignore the offending object, Harry got up and started routing around the blankets. When he found what it was Harry gave out a small bark that sounded a little like a laugh.

It was a stuffed animal, a used and abused stuffed bear. It was obvious that this bear was loved by how warn and covered in drool it was. Harry moved the bear off to the side and tried to get comfortable.

However, there was still something under the blankets. Harry went back to exploring the blankets. This time he found it, a metal ring of a trap door.

'This seems familiar from somewhere,' Harry thought to himself.

Letting his curiosity get the better of him he tried to get the door open. But no matter how he tried he could not get his mouth on the ring to pull it open, and he was not about to change back. He decided that he would have to wait until Tonks, Ron, and Fluffy came back. So he left the blankets alone and laid down by the door waiting for his friends return.

About ten minutes later the door banged open. Tonks, Ron, and Fluffy came flying through the door.

"There's no time to explain change back we got to get out of here, NOW!" Tonks yelled.

Harry knowing when not to argue, quickly changed back and followed his friends out the door, slamming it behind him, and up the secret passage across the hall.

Tonks and Ron were not stopping. They did not stop until they had reached the Gryffindor common room.

Ron threw himself in the nearest chair breathing heavily, as Tonks stood doubled over clutching her sides gasping for air.

After letting his friends catch their breath he finally asked, "Is someone going to tell me what's going on?"

"Well… We were down by the forest letting Fluffy do his thing…" Tonks started.

"Yea, running around peeing on trees. You know the things dog like to do." Ron interrupted. "I was playing fetch with Fluffy and I threw the stick a little too far…"

"Too far? You threw it in the lake!"

"Okay. I threw the stick in the lake, and Fluffy, like the dog he is, went running after it."

"He made the biggest splash I have ever seen. And well… The noise from Fluffy banging around in the water was quite loud."

"Yea… Tonks saw it first. The light came on in Hagrid's hut, so she got my attention and we ran for the castle."

"Luckily, Fluffy saw us running for the castle and came running after us. When we got inside I headed for that the passage behind tapestry of the singing werewolves, the one that leads to the fifth floor. We hid there for a moment but we heard foot steps approaching."

"That's when I realized that Fluffy was all wet and dripping all over the floor, leaving a path behind us. I tried to cast the drying charm but couldn't but Tonks saw what I was trying to do and pulled out her wand and did it for me."

"The charm is simple when you have Wonder Boy over there as your personal tutor. But anyway we took off up the passage and I led them as fast as I could back to you. Then we got the heck out of there, because I think Hagrid was coming to check up on Fluffy."

"Sounds like you had a lot of fun tonight," Harry said with a smirk.

"Yea it was a lot of fun wasn't it Ron. Sneaking out at night getting chased around the castle by our loveable school giant," Tonks said with a big smile on her face.

"Fun you call that fun?" Ron said indignantly.

"My night wasn't half as fun as your's was. All I found was a trap door under Fluffy's blankets. I think he is a guard dog or something."

Then it hit him. The flash of a trap door he saw went he was talking to Hagrid about the break in at Gringotts. 'Hadn't Hagrid said that Gringotts was the safest place next to Hogwarts? So what if Hagrid had hidden what ever it was that he took out of Gringotts under that trap door, and then put Fluffy there to guard it.'

"What if Hagrid put that package from that vault that got broken into at Gringotts in there," Harry said, voicing his thoughts.

"Maybe…" Tonks said, "But what would be so important that you would need to hide it at Hogwarts?"

"I don't know. Anyway, I'm tired. Thanks you guys for helping me with Fluffy," Ron said as he got up and headed to the boys' dorm.

"Yea me to. Getting chased around Hogwarts will ware a girl out," Tonks said as she headed to the girls dorm.

Seeing no reason to stay up any longer, Harry followed Ron up to the first year dorm. However, sleep was not easy to come by as he tossed and turned trying to think of what could be so important that Hagrid would have to hide it under a hidden trap door with a three headed dog as a guard.

Harry was not able to devote much of his waking time to the trap door in Fluffy's room. Since, Harry had taken to helping his friends with the practical portion on their classes.

Ron was okay at Charms and Defense, decent in Transfiguration and Herbology, and horribly dreadful at Potions. Neville was a natural at Herbology, decent in Charms and Defense, struggled with Transfiguration, and was so scared of Snape that he regularly melted a cauldron every other week. Tonks was brilliant in Transfiguration once Harry related the subject her metamorphmagus abilities, skilled in Defense, okay in Charms, hated Potion but was able to do the work, and could care less about Herbology after being attacked by 'Ivy', as Harry called the plant.

Hermione and Harry were both top in all their classes. Hermione performed better on theoretical work only because Harry refused to do anything other than what was assigned. Hermione consistently wrote a foot more then what was necessary on her homework, where Harry wrote to the exact length assigned, no more, no less. Harry, however, was happy with his small victory of always being the fist to complete their in class task earning Gryffindor house points.

The two had developed a friendly game, where every once and a while Hermione would present Harry with a new spell to see who could master it first. Harry enjoyed this game since it infuriated Hermione, since he always won, and Hermione enjoyed it because it pushed her to learn more magic.

His classes were not the only way in which Harry was busy. It turned out that Oliver Wood was manic when it came to Quidditch. Every night after dinner Harry could be found on the Quidditch pitch until well after his curfew.

Fortunately, due to this training the Gryffindor Quidditch team was playing like they had been playing together for years. Harry's insane flying was at the centre of their strategy. Harry would fly into the path of the Chasers preventing them from getting clean shots, or he would fly at the Keeper distracting him for the Chasers to get better shots off, and his ability to lead Bludgers at player only to swerve at the last moment letting the Bludger hit the other player instead. All while keeping an eye out for the Snitch. Suffice to say the Slytherins didn't know what was going to hit them.

All these distractions prevented Harry from realizing exactly what day it was until he walked into the Great Hall Hallowe'en morning. It was fully decorated for the feast later that evening. The customary candles were replaced with glowing faced Jack-o'-Lanterns hovering over the tables. Oliver had change practice time to be right after the last class of the day and end right before the feast.

They were playing a mock game of Quidditch were everyone was free game for Fred and George. Harry was on his second go with the snitch and running interference for Oliver. Harry had just distracted Angelina Johnson, a third year girl, breaking up a Porskoff Ploy. Harry was moving in to distract Katie Bell, a second year, when he saw the snitch flying around near George. He gave up on Katie and pelted after the Snitch.

Fred saw Harry move. Fred sent a Bludger into Harry's path trying to distract him long enough for the Snitch to move. However, Harry had been screening Fred's view of George so when Harry dove chasing after the fleeing Snitch the Bludger crashed into the George smashing into George's face breaking his nose.

Play halted as everyone landed and made sure George was okay and sent him off to the hospital wing to get his nose fixed. An hour later, Harry exited the shower room and headed up to the Great Hall for the start of the feast.

The night was a little chilly, so Harry wrapped his cloak a little tighter around himself as he made his way back up to the castle for the feast. As Harry passed through the entrance hall he passed a pack of giggling third year girls. Harry ignored them and turned to toward the Great Hall.

Harry missed the laughter from Slytherin table. Finding a spot at the Gryffindor table and saved a seat for Tonks who was up in the library working on homework.

He sat watching the door waiting for Tonks. Most everyone was present since the feast would start in a few minutes. Tonks entered the Great Hall just minutes before the start of the feast. Harry's eyes widened in shock, horror, and embarrassment for his friend.

Tonks had just entered the Great Hall in nothing more then her underclothes. Harry had to do something since it was apparent that either Tonks had gone insane or did not know that she was so under clothed.

Harry quickly jumped up and headed over to his friend. "Tonks! What is the mater with you?" He said while he rushed over to where Tonks stopped when she heard Harry yell her name.

All the heads of those sitting at the Slytherin and Ravenclaw table turned to look at Harry. Then laughter and pointing broke out as they noticed Tonks.

"What!" Tonks said. Her face adopting a scow when the students started pointing and laughing at her.

"Tonks… Your not wearing any clothes." Harry said lowering his voice now that he was standing next to his half naked friend.

"What are you talking about?" Tonks said looking down at herself. "I have my school uniform on like always."

"Trust me Tonks you aren't wearing anything. All I can see is you standing here in you skivvies."

Harry quickly undid his cloak to take it off and wrap it around his friend to get her out of the hall and save her some embarrassment. When Harry pulled it off his shoulders, Tonks let out a gasp.

"Harry…" Tonks said with wide eyes.

Harry quickly wrapped the cloak around Tonks and led her out of the Great Hall.

"Uhm, Harry… You aren't wearing any clothes. You only have your boxers on."

"What?" Harry said and looked down at himself. She was right. Harry only had his boxers on. He remembered putting on his clothes on after Quidditch practice. He was the first one out of the locker room. Oliver was busy putting away all the equipment and Fred was getting ready to jump in the shower.

Suddenly it hit him. "Fred and George!" Harry said. He turned to Tonks and asked, "Have you had a run in with Fred or George since the end of class today?"

"Yea, just before I came down for the feast. I saw one of them in the library we talked for a minute and then I came down here."

"Those gits. I think they just got their revenge on us. They either made our cloths invisible or made them disappear." Tonks opened the cloak Harry had wrapped around her and looked down at herself again. This time she couldn't see her clothes. Her eyes started welling up with tears in embarrassment.

Just then a group of Slytherin first year girls led by Pansy Parkinson, a black haired girl with a flat pug face, came out of the Great Hall and into the entrance hall near Harry and Tonks. "Oh if it isn't Potter and his nymph. If you are going two are going to make out and have sex then can you at least do it in private so we don't have to be disgusted by your ugly bodies?"

Pansy's words were the final straw. Tonks burst out crying then took off running off to the Dungeons, presumable to find a place to cry.

Harry could careless what the cow Pansy said, he was out to find Fred and George. He quickly turned back to the Great Hall. The whole hall had already seen him in his boxers what was the difference if they got another look, he had a set of twins he needed to kill.

Harry stomped back into the Great Hall and made his way over to the Gryffindor table. Fred and George were sitting at the table laughing their heads off watching Harry walk over. Harry wanted to punch them in the face for making Tonks cry, but he new that he wouldn't stand a chance against Fred and George in a fight. Harry pulled his wand and took aim at Fred and with a flash of red light from his wand Fred fell backwards off his seat out cold. Harry quickly aimed at George and said, "Gits!" With another flash of red light from his wand George joined his twin on the floor out cold.

The hall was silent. Everyone was stunned by this first year that had just knocked the twins out cold with two quick stunners, a hex no first year should know.

"Harry, why are you standing in the Great Hall in only your underwear? And why did you just stun Fred and George?" Hermione asked from a spot a little farther down the table.

"Those gits hexed Tonks and my clothes so we would walk around in only our underwear and not even know it. Tonks went running off toward the dungeons crying. I hexed them because they made Tonks cry."

"So they deserved it, is what you are saying?" Ron said after a few minute of silence.

"Yep. Hermione can you go check on Tonks for me. She ran off toward the dungeons," Harry said. Hermione quickly got up and ran out of the Great Hall.

"Potter," an oily voice spat from behind Harry. "Why are you not dressed properly? 10 points from Gryffindor for being out of uniform."

Harry's eyes narrowed. Just as Harry opened his mouth to respond to the greasy git, the doors to the Great Hall banged open and Professor Quirrell staggered in looking ashen faced and ready to faint. "Th-th-there's a… a… a… T-T-T-T-T-T-roll in th-th-th-the dungeon! A troll in the dungeon!" He screamed in a heavy stutter and promptly fainted.

Professor Dumbledore quickly got to his feet, "Prefects, escort your fellow class mates to your common rooms, immediately!"

Snape instantly swept off to the Slytherin table and began to organize his house.

Upon hearing 'in the dungeon' Harry ran out of the hall. He knew Tonks and Hermione would be down in the dungeon. He had to do something. Harry ran full tilt to the dungeons. He was not going to let anything happen to his friends, especially his Tonks.

'A crying girl… Where is she going to run off to? In primary school they always ran to the bathroom.' Not wasting a moments more he turned to the nearest girls bathroom. 'Thank Merlin Tonks and I explored these dungeons.'

Suddenly there was a loud scream coming from the girls' bathroom Harry was approaching. Harry picked up his pace and burst threw the door. Standing in the middle of the room was a hulking shape of the troll. It was twelve feet tall, with skin a dull gray, and the smelled like a public toilet. In its left hand was a wooden club dragging on the floor. In its right hand was…

TONKS!

'The troll has Tonks!' Harry screamed inside his head.

As Harry tried to get his wits about him, the troll opened its maw. Its jagged uneven teeth barred as it lifted its right arm bringing Tonks closer to its mouth.

'Its going to try and eat Tonks.'

Harry just reacted. He changed shape to that of Fluffy and lept at the troll sinking the teeth of all three heads into different parts its body. One head had a hold of a leg, another had the troll's left arm, and the final head had a hold of the troll's buttocks. Which Harry would latter regret, as it took him days to get rid of the horrible taste of troll butt out of his mouth.

The troll yelled in pain and frustration dropping Tonks and turning to try and pry off the dog fastened to the left side of his body. Tonks crashed to the floor in a heap.

While Harry was furiously fighting the troll who had managed to get a hold of one of the dogs legs, Hermione came darting out of the corner of the bathroom, she was huddled in, to drag Tonks away from the vicious fight.

The troll finally managed to pry off the dog but Harry managed to do a good bit of damage first. Blood was flowing heavily from the spots where the dog had sunk in his teeth. When the troll pulled Harry off him it let out a mighty roar and flung Harry into the bathroom stalls. Harry was thrown so hard he decimated the stalls he crashed into. Harry, however, ignored his injuries. 'Nothing threatens my friends and gets away.'

Harry was running on rage that this beast was going to eat Tonks. Harry knew that his Fluffy form was no match for this troll, 'Let's see what you make of another troll.' Instantly the dog was replaced with a giant green troll only slightly smaller then the one already present.

Harry ran at the troll and tackled it around the middle letting out a great roar of anger. Since Harry had momentum on his side the pair was flung out the doors of the bathroom and into the hall. The first troll hit the ground with a grunt as Harry landed on top of him. Harry consumed with anger and a drive to protect his friend started to punch and hit the troll, drawing on all the times that Harry himself was on the receiving end of a beating by Dudley.

Soon the troll stopped moving and Harry got off the troll. He looked up, down the hall were Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Snape. To Harry's right Hermione came out of the bathroom supporting a limping Tonks.

"Stand back girls. That is a dangerous creature." Snape said upon seeing Hermione and Tonks exit the bathroom.

"What… Harry a dangerous creature?" Hermione responded.

"Well… I certainly wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that temper. I mean did you see him beat that thing up," Tonks said with a bit of a smile. "You know he is my knight in… well now it is troll amour. But you know what I mean."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Tonks attempt to make a joke of the situation.

"Would you ladies care to explain what you are talking about?" Dumbledore said serenely.

"Harry would you just turn back and get this over with. My foot hurts and I am hungry." Tonks said turning towards the standing troll.

"You are always hungry, Tonks," Harry said after turning back into his normal form.

"Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall shrieked as Harry appeared and walked over to Tonks.

"I think her ankle might be broken," Hermione said.

"Well hope on my back. I will give you a ride to the hospital wing and we can deal with them there two." Harry said to Tonks as he turned around and faced away from Tonks.

"Ohh, a piggy back ride." Tonks squealed as Harry hunched down so Tonks could get on his back.

Harry proceeded to carry Tonks off to the hospital wing ignoring the look of shock on Professor McGonagall's face, the pensive look on Professor Dumbledore's face, and the discussed looks Snape was shooting his way.

When Harry reached the hospital wing walked off to one of the beds to deposit Tonks as Professor Dumbledore went to fetch Madam Pomfrey from her office.

Moments later Madam Pomfrey was buzzing around Tonks working on her ankle. Professor Dumbledore turned to Harry and said, "Mr. Potter could you please explain why you were down in the dungeon and why you were fighting the troll when we showed up, also why you are not properly dressed?"

Harry looked down, and sure enough he was still only in his boxers. Professor Dumbledore gave a quick wave of his wand and handed Harry a cloak to wrap around himself.

"Well Professor… You see Tonks and I were pranked. We thought we were wearing our close but it turned out we were not and when Tonks found out, while standing in the Great Hall, she started to cry and then some Slytherin girls made a nasty comment and she went running off toward the dungeons. I went back into the Great Hall and yelled at the twins and Hermione went off to talk with Tonks. When Professor Quirrell came in and said there was a troll in the dungeon I knew the girls were in trouble so I went to warn them. When I found them, the troll was about to eat Tonks and I just reacted and attacked it, first as a dog and then as a troll. I kind of lost it, I was so angry at the thing for trying to eat Tonks."

"I think you deserve some points for bravery and nerve, taking down a full-grown mountain troll to save your friends, an act truly worthy of Gryffindor himself. 50 points to Gryffindor. When Madam Pomfrey is finished fixing up young Miss Tonks there, you are to go get dressed and join the rest of the school back at the feast." Professor Dumbledore said to Harry, he then turned to address Professors McGonagall and Snape, "I think now that the troll has been dealt with we can continue the feast. I will alert the rest of the professors."

A half an hour later Harry, Tonks, and Hermione could be found surrounded at the Gryffindor table recounting their adventure to there fellow house. Someone had revived Fred and George and they had apologized again and again for their prank being a bit to mean. Harry and Tonks accepted the apology but were each working on a way to get back at the twins.

_**Chapter 9**_

With the onset of November, the weather turned bitter cold. With November came the start of the Quidditch season. Harry would be playing in his first Quidditch game the second week of November. With the start of the season approaching Wood became even more manic about practice, which none of the Gryffindor team thought was possible.

Wood had added to their already extensive practices at night with a morning team fly. Every morning Harry would wake before the sunrise and drag himself out to the Quidditch pitch for two hours of team drills.

Thursday morning a week before their first game, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, the Gryffindor team had an uninvited guest. Slytherin spies.

Fortunately, Wood had anticipated spies, which is why the team only did flying drills in the morning and had real practices in secret in the evenings.

Alicia Spinnet was the first to spot the Slytherin spies. They had taken to hiding on the edge of the forest. One of the spies had a pair of golden binoculars that they were using to follow Harry around the pitch. Alicia tipped off the rest of the team to their interlopers.

The plan was simple Harry would purposely fly like he did not know what he was doing. He continually crashed into Fred and George, and once even managed to crash into Katie and 'fall' off his broom managing to hang on to the broom with one hand until Wood helped him back on to his broom.

When the team landed after their morning fly twins started yelling at Wood.

"Why is McGonagall making us put Potter on the team?" George started.

"He's horrible," Fred responded.

"I can't do anything about it. I have talked to McGonagall. She said he had to be on the team."

The arguing continued all the way up to the castle as Harry lagged behind looking dejected. The arguing stopped and the group returned to their common room the twins and the girls with angry looks on their faces.

Upon entering the common room though, everything changed. The twins fell to the floor a fit of laughter and the girls fell into chairs with tears rolling down their faces. Oliver was doubled over with a hand on Harry's shoulder keeping him from falling over.

After a while when the laughter died down Wood was able to catch his breath and manage to spit out, "Excellent plan Potter. Fight Slytherins by thinking like a Slytherin. Make them think you were dreadful and underestimate us. You keep playing like you do and thinking up brilliant things like that and you'll be captain when I leave school."

A few more minutes of laughter and they finally broke up to get ready for class.

The next day before Potions the class was gathered in the hall waiting for Snape to let them in and start class. Harry was at the back of the group with Tonks and Hermione. Hermione and Harry were reading books while Tonks just stood by waiting for Snape. Hermione was reading a book she had found in the library about magical fire and its uses. Harry had was reading _Quidditch Through the Age_.

A few minutes before class Snape came limping up the gathered students and snapped at Harry, "What's that you've got there, Potter?"

"A book sir."

"I can see that, give it here. 5 points from Gryffindor. I will not tolerate your cheek. Now everyone inside," Snape barked and limped in after the students. "Class will begin in a few moments." And with that Snape limped into his office and shut the door behind him.

When Snape returned his limp was considerably smaller but Harry could tell that what ever Snape had done to his leg still bothered him. Snape was in a fowler mood then usual and when class was dismissed none of the students wasted any time packing their things and leaving the class room.

It wasn't until Harry had reached the common room that he remembered that the book Snape had confiscated was due to be returned to the library. He turned to Tonks and said, "I forgot, I need to return that book Snape has to the library. Can you go ask him for it and return it while I go to Quidditch practice? If he won't give it to you I'll have to ask him after practice."

"Fine but you owe for making me go find the giant bat," Tonks said as she turn and exited the common room. Harry shot a thank you over his shoulder as he went up to his dorm to get his Quidditch things.

When Harry returned after practice, it was to find Tonks in a towering rage yelling about Snape taking point and being a total git.

"… took two hundred points, just 'cause I saw him bleeding, GREASY SLIMY GIT," Tonks yelled.

"What happened?" Harry asked after Tonks rage settled a little.

"The want-a-be Bat took two hundred points from Gryffindor."

"Why?"

"I went looking for him to get your book back. I couldn't find him. I looked for him in his office, in the Great Hall, and the staff lounge. I couldn't find the git. I finally found him in the hospital wing. He was putting some kind of ointment he got from Madam Pomfrey on a very viscous bite on his leg_._ He said he got if from 'that demon dog'. I think he meant Fluffy. I sure hope Fluffy doesn't get sick off eating greasy food. After Madam Pomfrey went back to her office, I went in and asked him about the book. That's when he yelled at me taking two hundred points and threw some bandages at me and told me to get out."

Tonks went on cursing and threatening all types of torture upon Snape for the next ten minutes. Many seventh year students sitting in the corner were laughing at her while the Weasley twins started to take notes, Harry new to just let her get her anger out. When Tonks had finally calmed down a bit she was able to hold a conversation with out flying off and cursing Snape.

"But what I would like to know is why he was doing around Fluffy in the first place," Harry said in a conspiratorial tone.

"Why don't we just ask Fluffy?" Tonks said.

"Yea, how about tonight?"

"Sure." Tonks and Harry proceeded to make plans for sneaking out and talking with Fluffy.

Around midnight found Tonks and Harry hidden in the shadows down the third floor corridor were Fluffy's room was. Just as Harry was about to fade Tonks and himself out of the shadows, the door knob turned and the door opened and Snape rushed out the door.

Even though Tonks and Harry were invisible in the shadows, Harry froze. Snape with his customary sneer on his face closed the door behind him and waved his wand. With his robes billowing behind him he walked away with a slight limp, to which Tonks gave a snort inside the shadow.

Harry and Tonks waited outside the room a few minutes after Snape left to be sure he wasn't coming back. Harry faded out of the shadows and they quickly rushed into Fluffy's room. As soon as the door closed behind them they could hear a scrabbling of claws on stone. Tonks didn't even get time to react as she was knocked down by a charging three headed dog.

Fluffy proceeded to give Tonks a bath in drool. Harry quickly changed forms and barked at Fluffy who stopped drooling on Tonks and barked back. A quick exchange of barks and a growl form Fluffy and Harry returned to normal.

"What did he say?" Tonks asked.

"Well he told me that Snape was trying to get past him and into his trap door. I asked him what was in there and he said he didn't know and was told not to let anyone past him and then he growled at me. I think he thought I wanted to get past him. I told him we were just curious. Now I really want to know what is in behind that trap door if Snape wants in."

Tonks had no answer. After Harry and Tonks promised to come back to visit and maybe even take him out side again they quickly returned back to Gryffindor tower in case Snape decided to make another attempt at getting past Fluffy tonight.

The next day brought the first Quidditch game of the season. Harry new he could fly and was confident in his abilities but that didn't stop the stomach form turning. At breakfast, Tonks had to force Harry to eat some toast and drink some pumpkin juice.

"Come on team lets get to the locker room," Wood said waving at the team to follow him out of the Great Hall and down to the pitch.

When they reached the locker room, Harry quickly changed and sat on the bench next to George.

Harry sat for ten minutes calming his nerves. Fred and George helped with their constant stream of jokes. Finally Wood turned to his team and said, "Okay team,"

"This is it…" Fred brook in.

"The big one…" George continued.

"We know this speech. It's speech number three."

"We've been on the team for two years. He stole it from Charlie."

The girls laughed at the twins.

"Yeah, well then. You know what to do. WIN!" Wood said in a huff. At that the twins slung their brooms over their shoulder and exited the locker room.

Harry followed Wood out of the locker room and on to the pitch. Madam Hooch was refereeing the match. She stood in the middle of the pitch, next to the chest containing the balls, waiting for the two teems.

"Now, I want a nice fair game." She said once they were gathered around her. "Shake hands." Harry watched as Wood and the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, tried to crush each others hand.

"Mount your brooms!"

Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand hovering closed to the ground near Madam Hooch while the rest of the players got into position. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle, kicked open the chest containing the balls, and tossed the Quaffle into play.

Harry's strategy was to chase the Snitch hard and fast from the off, if he lost the Snitch then he was to get into the match breaking up plays and helping the rest of the team. So when the Snitch flew out of the chest Harry was in hot pursuit.

The Snitch instantly flew off trying to shake Harry. The Snitch dogged and weaved heading straight into the rest of the players. Harry was right behind it the Snitch just out of his reach.

Harry was impressed with the speed of the little golden ball. Harry was flying as fast as he could and still be able to make some of the hairpin turns the Snitch was doing in its attempt to lose its follower.

It was a good thirty seconds into the match before the Slytherin Seeker, Terence Higgs, realized Harry was already in pursuit of the game winning ball.

Higgs gave chase. Higgs flying skills were no were near as good as Harry's so he had no choice but to follow behind the daredevil seeker.

Still in pursuit almost two minutes latter the Slytherins were desperate to get the Gryffindor Seeker off the Snitches tail. The Snitch had just made another attempt at losing its pursuer in the crowed of other players. Harry not giving up was not far behind.

Harry had just dived under Angelina and Adrian Pucey, one of the Slytherin Chasers, when Harry was suddenly thrown forward on his broom as his broom jerked underneath him. In the slit second distraction the Snitch dove out of site and was lost.

Seconds after Harry lost the Snitch he realized play had stopped and Madam Hooch was approaching him with the Quaffle. "Penalty shot!" She barked.

"What I didn't do anything?" Harry said as Madam Hooch got closer.

"No, you take a penalty shot. Pucey grabbed your broom."

"That's why I lost the Snitch? Someone grabbed my broom?"

Madam Hooch did not respond she handed him the Quaffle and blew her whistle. Wood and the girls had worked with him during practice. Wood had informed him that with the strategy they were going to use that Harry might draw a few penalties and that it would be good for him to have a little skill as a chaser. The thing Wood hadn't expected is that Harry would be just as good at Chasing as he was at Seeking.

Harry took the Quaffle and flew at top speed toward the Slytherin Keeper with the Quaffle tucked under his arm. Harry was aimed straight at the Keeper. It looked as if Harry was going to collide with the keeper but at the last instant Harry pulled left and let the Quaffle fly at the hoop. The Keeper was caught flat foot not being able to react out of fear that Harry was going to hit him.

Flint instantly flew over to Madam Hooch and started to scream that Harry should be called for Blatching. Harry argued back that he never intended to hit the Keeper which should be obvious by his swerving to the left before the collision could occur. Madam Hooch agreed with Harry and play continued.

The second part of their Quidditch strategy commenced. Harry flew in the middle of the fray of Chasers aggravating the Slytherins and assisting with at least five goals and two blocks by the Gryffindor team. The Slytherin Beaters quickly oriented their attacks on Harry leading to two broken noses on Slytherin players.

The play was near the Slytherin stands when Harry had done it again. He had flown in front of Flint causing his pass to be intercepted by Katie, when it happened. His broom gave a jerk just as a Bludger aimed at his head when flying over him and toward the stands. As Harry was thrown forward on his broom he kept going and fell off his broom. The crowd gave a gasp as some of the Slytherin fan gave a yell of triumph. Harry tumbled towards the ground the wind whipping his hair and robes. Just ten feet from the ground Harry's broom came soaring back to him and he landed.

When a loud gong sounded everyone was shocked. As heads swiveled to find the Slytherin Seeker Harry raised his hand and held up the Snitch.

Fred and George where the first to reach Harry, which he regretted seconds latter as they tackled him to the ground, Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were not far behind. Wood stood off to the side with Madam Hooch and Flint. "He wasn't on his broom at the time! It wasn't a valid catch!" Flint was yelling.

"What about the 'Starfish without Stick' that's a valid move. This is just a new move called 'The Potters Catch'," Wood fired back.

"The catch stands! Gryffindor 320! Slytherin 50" Madam Hooch said as she flicked her wand to summon the Bludgers back to the chest.

With a whoop Wood ran over to his team still dog piled on the pick and dove on top. Moments later they were joined by a good portion of the Gryffindor House.

A half hour later as Hagrid pulled a nearly squashed Harry from the bottom of a pile of Gryffindor quidditch players. When Harry got to his feet Hagrid tried to help Harry dust himself off and only proceeded to knock Harry off his feet again.

"Looks like yer need a cup o' tea and some rest after the stunt you pulled in today's game," Hagrid chuckled. Most of the Gryffindors had gone back up to the castle leaving the team to head to the locker room to change.

Harry was lead off by Hagrid and Tonks to have a strong cup of tea and to recover from his near fatal crushing.

"Yes, Yes. I love you. You can't fit in my lap. No. Sit on the floor you won't fit on my lap."

"Fang! Down! Leave Dora alone," Hagrid said as he pulled Fang off of Tonks.

"Who was it that grabbed my broom the last time? Was it Flint?" Harry asked taking a sip of the tea Hagrid had made while pushing the rock cakes away.

"No one, Harry. No one was close enough to be able to grab your broom," Tonks replied.

"Well some thing happened to my broom then. Because it jerked like the first time so I just jumped off the broom and went for the Snitch."

"You mean you jumped off you broom on purpose?"

"Yea, I wasn't in danger or anything. If I had to I would have just turned into an owl or something and landed," Harry said coolly.

"Yea well I'm just glad your okay and we won. I bet Snape will be in a fowl mood. Though he can't be any worse then yesterday after Fluffy bit him."

"What Fluffy bit someone… Wait how do you know about Fluffy," Hagrid said as he dropped the teapot.

Harry could tell that they were going to have to explain a few things.

"Well we have been taking Fluffy for walks. You see…"

"…He's bored in that room with no one to play with. So every once in a while Ron will go play with him and sometimes we'll take him for a walk at night," Tonks added.

"He's not s'pose to be out of that room. He's a guard dog," Hagrid said

"I know that's why when Ron and Tonks take him out side I pull guard duty for him. He told me all about not letting anyone in the trap door. What is he guarding any way?"

"Tha's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel. An' what you mean you been pulling guard duty?"

"Well when Tonks and Ron take him out side I stand in for him as a three headed dog."

"Yea and by the way, He needs a bath. There is only so much you can do with freshening charms," Tonks said.

Harry seeing that Hagrid wasn't really angry said, "Yea, we don't have classes tomorrow. I could play guard dog tonight and while you toss the stinky thing in the lake."

"We'll 'ave ta talk ta Professor Dumbledore about that," Hagrid said with a scowl on his face. The two could tell that Hagrid was not happy that they had been playing with Fluffy but still wanted to take care of Fluffy.


End file.
